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THE HOLY BIBLE
TRANSLATED OUT OF THE
ORIGINAL TONGUES IN THE
YEAR OF OUR LORD MDCXI
:j'^
I 3HT flSTHA jUrriAj .m3 yh aaHDra
QilAHTOTg 8AMOhT
IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN
Etched by Em. Laitin, after the painting by
Thomas Stothard
THE HOLY BIBLE
CONTAINING THE OLD &^ NEW
TESTAMENT ^ THE APOCRYPHA
VOLUME ONE
GENESIS TO ESTHER
THE BALLANTYNE PRESS
LONDON AND EDINBURGH
Printed bt
BALLANTYNE & COMPANY LTD
AT THE BALLANTYNE PRESS
London
FOREWORD BY THE RIGHT REV.
THE LORD BISHOP OF LONDON
Why should not the Bible be printed as well as
the best of other books ? That is the question
answered by the present splendid edition. The
Bible is the most glorious of books and reigns
supreme. It claims then the most perfect type
and the most careful printing which can be
accorded to it. This seems to me to have been
given it in this edition. It is possible, too, that
some who might not read the Bible, issued in a
cheap edition, may read it when it comes in the
form of the best literature the world can find.
We are never afraid of the Bible " coming to its
own." It is quite true that we believe it needs
explanation, and a knowledge of history, and in-
struction in the context of each book, and are
grateful that a teaching Church was sent forth to
carry the Bible in its hand, to teach from it and
explain it to the world, but, if people will not have
the Church, at least they can have the Bible, and
the Bible will lead them on to learn more abo4it
the origin of that of which it speaks.
Whence come those striking accounts of the
origin of the world ? Who wrote those soul-
piercing psalms } Who were the prophets .? Were
there any prophecies of the mighty Incarnation
before it took place ? What is the relation of the
vision of the Holy Ghost to the Father and the
Son ?
These questions are certain to force themselves
upon the thoughtful reader, and the answer w^ill
eventually be found in the Apostles' Creed.
" You can do nothing against the Truth hut for
the Truth," is the belief of those who circulate
the Bible in the world, and it is in the hope that
this edition may find its way into homes where
other editions may have failed to find entrance that
I wish it Godspeed.
A. F. London :
FuLHAM Palace,
S.W.
August rgii
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE
JAMES
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN,
FRANCE, AND IRELAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &c.
THE TRANSLATORS OF THE BIBLE WISH GRACE, MERCY,
AND PEACE, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD
GcREAT and manifold zvere the blessings, most dread
Sovereign, which Almighty God, the Father of all mer-
cies, bestowed upon us the people of England, when first
he sent Tour Majesty's Royal Person to rule and reign
over us. For whereas it was the expedlation of many , who
wished not well unto our Sion, that upon the setting
of that bright Occidental Star, Qiieen Elizabeth of
most happy memory, some thick and palpable clouds of
darkness would so have overshadoived this Land, that
men should have been in doubt which zvay they zvere to
walk; and that it should hardly be known, who was to
dire£l the unsettled State; the appearance of Tour Ma-
jesty, as of the Sun in his strength, instantly dispelled
those supposed and surmised mists, and gave ujito all
that zvere well offered exceeding cause of comfort; es-
pecially when zve beheld the Government established ifi
Tour Highness, and Tour hopeful Seed, by an undoubted
Title, and this also accompanied with peace and tran-
quillity at home and abroad.
But among all our joys, the?'e was no one that inore
filled our hearts, than the blessed continuance of the
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
p?'eaching of God's sacred Word amo7ig us; zvhich is
that inestimable treasure, which excelleth all the riches
of the earth; because the fruit thereof extendeth itself,
not only to the time spent in this transitory world, but
direSleth and disposeth tnen unto that eternal happiness
which is above in heaven.
Then not to suffer this to fall to the ground, but rather
to take it up, a?id to continue it in that state, wherein
the famous Predecessor of Tour Highness did leave it:
nay, to goforzvard with the confidence and resolution
of a Man in maintaining the truth of Christ, and pro-
pagating it far and near, is that which hath so bound
and firmly knit the hearts of all Tour Majesty's loyal
and religious people unto Ton, that Tour very name is
precious among them: their eye doth behold Tou with
comfort, and they bless Tou in their hearts, as that sanc-
tified Person, who, under God, is the immediate Author
of their true happiness. And this their contentment doth
not diminish or decay, but every day increaseth andtaketh
strejigth, when they observe, that the zeal of Tour Ma-
jesty toward the house of God doth 7iot slack or go back-
ward, but is more and more kindled, manifesting itself
abroad in the farthest parts of Christendom, by zvriting
in defence of the Truth, (which hath give?i such a blow
unto that man of sin, as will not be healed,) a?id every
day at home, by religious and learned discourse, byfre-
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
quen tijig the house of God, by hearing the fFord preached,
by cherishing the Teachers thereof, by caring for the
CJiurch, as a most tender and loving nursing Father.
There a?'e infinite arguments of tins right Chris tia?i
and religious affedlion in Tour Majesty; but no7ie is
more forcible to declare it to others than the vehement
and perpetuated desire of accomplishing and publisliing
of this work, which now with all humility zve present
unto Tour Majesty. For wJien Tour Highness had once
out of deep judgment apprehended how conve?iient it
was, that out of the Original Sacred Tongues, toge-
ther with comparing of the labours, both in our own,
mid other foreign Languages, of many worthy men who
went before us, there should be one more exadt Trans-
lation of the Holy Scriptures into the English Tongue;
Tour Majesty did never desist to urge and to excite
those to whom it was commended, that the work might
he hastened, and that the business might be expedited
in so decent a manner, as a matter of such importance
might justly require.
And 710W at last, by the mercy of God, and tJie con-
tinuance of our labours, it being brought imto such a
conclusion, as that we have great hopes that the Church
of England shall reap good fruit thereby; zve hold it
our duty to offer it to Tour Majesty, not only as to our
King and Sovereign, but as to the principal Mover and
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
Author of the zvork: humbly craving of Tour most Sa-
cred Majesty, that since things of this quality have ever
been subjeB to the censures of illmeaning and discon-
tented per sons, it may receive approbation and patronage
from so learned and judicious a Prince as Tour High-
ness is, zvhose allowance and acceptance of our labours
shall more honour and encourage us, than all the calum-
niations and hard interpretations of other men shall dis-
may us. So that if, on the one side, zve shall be traduced
by Popish Persons at home or abroad, who therefore
will malign us, because we are poor instruments to make
God's holy truth to be yet more aJid more known imto
the people, whom they desire still to keep in ignorance
and darkness; or if, on the other side, zve shall be ?na-
ligned by selfconceited Brethren, who run their own
zvays, and give liking unto nothing, but what is framed
by themselves, and hammered on their anvil; zve may
rest secure, supp07'ted within by the truth andinnocency
of a good conscience, having zvalked the zvays of sim-
plicity and integrity , as before the Lord; and sustained
zvithout by the pozverful prote^ion of Tour Majesty's
grace and favour, which will ever give coiuitenance to
honest and Christiaji endeavours against bitter censures
and uncharitable imputations.
The Lord of heaven and earth bless Tour Majesty
with many and happy days, that, as his heavenly hand
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
hath ejiriched Tour Highness zvith many singular and
extraordinary graces, so Ton may be the -wonder of the
world in this latter age for happiness and true felicity ,
to the honour of that great God, and the good of his
Church , through Jesus Christ our Lord an d on ly Saviour..
[N THE SWEAT OF THY FACE SHALT THOU EAT BREAD.
-Genesis in.
THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
GENESIS
IN the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. And the earth was without form, and void ;
and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was
light. And God saw the light, that it was good : and
God divided the light from the darkness. And God
called the light Day, and the darkness he called
Night. And the evening and the morning were the
first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the
midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from
the waters. And God made the firmament, and di-
vided the waters which were under the firmament
from the waters which were above the firmament:
and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven.
And the evening and the morning were the second
day.
And God said. Let the waters under the heaven
be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry
land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry
land Earth ; and the gathering together of the waters
called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And
I [ 1 ] A
GENESIS [I
God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb
yielding seed, and the fruit trre yielding fruit after
his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and
it v/as so. And the earth brought forth grass, and
herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yield-
ing fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind : and
God saw that it was good. And the evening and the
morning were the third day.
And God said. Let there be lights in the firma-
ment of the heaven to divide the day from the night ;
and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for
days, and years: and let them be for lights in the
firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth :
and it was so. And God made two great lights ; the
greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to
rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set
them in the firmament of the heaven to give light
upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over
the night, and to divide the light from the darkness:
and God saw that it was good. And the evening and
the morninp' were the fourth da v.
And God said. Let the waters bring forth abun-
dantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl
that may fly above the earth in the open firmament
of heaven. And God created great whales, and every
living creature that moveth, which the waters brought
[ 2 ]
I] GENESIS
forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged
fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying. Be fruitful, and mul-
tiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl
multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morn-
ing were the fifth day.
And God said. Let the earth bring forth the liv-
ing creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing,
and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was
so. And God made the beast of the earth after his
kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that
creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw
that it was good.
And God said. Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and
over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God
created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him ; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and
subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living
thing that moveth upon the earth.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every
[ 3 ]
GENESIS [II
herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the
earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a
tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for meat. And
to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the
air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
wherein there is life, I have given every green herb
for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing
that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
And the evening and the morning were the sixth
day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished,
and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God
ended his work which he had made; and he rested
on the seventJi day from all his work which he had
made. And God blessed the seventh day, and san6ti-
fied it: because that in it he had rested from all his
work which God created and made.
These are the generations of the heavens and of
the earth when they were created, in the day that
the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and
every plant of the field before it was in the earth,
and every herb of the field before it grew : for the
Lord God 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 the Lord God formed man
[ 4 ]
II] GENESIS
of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nos-
trils the breath of life ; and man became a living souL
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward
in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had
formed. And out of the ground made the I^rd God
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 knowledge of good and
evil. And a river went out of Eden to water the gar-
den ; and from thence it v/as parted, and became into
four heads. The name of the first is Pison : that is it
which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where
there is gold ; and the gold of that land is good :
there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name
of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that cora-
passeth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name
of the third river is Hiddekel : that is it which goeth
toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is
Euphrates. And the Lord God took the man, and put
him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep
it. And the Lord God 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 eat-
est thereof thou shalt surely die.
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the
[ 5 ]
GENESIS [III
man should be alone ; I will make him an help meet
for him. And out of the ground the Lord God formed
every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air;
and brought them unto Adam to see what he would
call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living
creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave
names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and
to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was
not found an help meet for him. And the Lord God
caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept:
and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh
instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God had
taken from man, made he a woman, and brought
her unto the man. And Adam 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 mo-
ther, 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 the Lord God had made. And he
said unto the woman. Yea, hath God said. Ye shall
not eat of every tree of the garden .? And the woman
said unto the serpent. We may eat of the fruit of
the trees of the garden : but of the fruit of the tree
[ 6 ]
Ill] GENESIS
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 gods, knowing good and evil.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and
a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of
the fruit thereof, and did eat, and 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 aprons. And they heard the voice
of the Lord God walking in the garden in tlie cool
of the day : and Adam and his wife hid themselves
from the presence of the Lord God amongst the
trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto
Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou.'^ And he
said, I heard thy voice 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. And the Lord God said unto
[ ^ ]
GENESIS [III
the woman, What is tliis that thou hast done ? And the
woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
And the Lord God said unto the serpent. Because
thou hast done this, thou art cursed 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 hus-
band, 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 sorrow shalt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; thorns also and
thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and tliou 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 Adam called his wife's
name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God
make coats of skins, and clothed them.
[ « ]
IV] GENESIS
And the Lord God 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 for ever: therefore the Lord God
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 Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned
every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
And Adam knew Eve his wife ; and she conceived,
and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from
the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And
Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of
the ground. And in process of time it came to pass,
that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an of-
fering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of
the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And
the Lord had respe6l unto Abel and to his offering:
but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respe6l.
And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And the Lord 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 lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire,
and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with
Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they
I [ 9 ] A 2
GENESIS [IV
were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his
brother, and slew him.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy
brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's
keeper? And he said. What hast thou done ? the voice
of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath
opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood
from thy hand ; when thou tillest the ground, it shall
not henceforth yield unto thee her strength ; a fugi-
tive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And
Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater
than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this
day from the face of the earth ; and from thy face
shall I be hid ; and I shall be a fugitive and a vaga-
bond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that
every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the
Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth
Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.
And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any find-
ing him should kill him.
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord,
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
[ 10 ]
V] GENESIS
unto Enoch was born Irad : and Irad begat Mehujael:
and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael be-
gat Lamech.
And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name
of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zil-
lah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such
as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his
brother's name was Jubal : he was the father of all
such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she
also bare Tubal-cain, an instru6ler of every artificer
in 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 to my wounding,
And a young man to my hurt.
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 God, said she, hath
appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom
Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born
a son ; and he called his name Enos : then began men
to call upon the name of the Lord.
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In
the day that God created man, in the likeness of God
[ 11 ]
GENESIS [V
made he him; male and female created he them;
and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in
the day when they were created.
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and
begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and
called his name Seth : and the days of Adam after he
had begotten Seth were eight hundred years : and he
begat sons and daughters: and all the days that Adam
lived were nine hundred and thirty years : and he died.
And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and be-
gat Enos : and Seth lived after he begat Enos eight
hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daugh-
ters: and all the days of Seth were nine hundred and
twelve years: and he died.
And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan :
and Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred
and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: and
all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five
years: and he died.
And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Ma-
halaleel : and Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel
eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and
daughters: and all the days of Cainan were nine
hundred and ten years: and he died.
And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and
begat Jared: and Mahalaleel lived after he begat
[ 1^ ]
V] GENESIS
Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat
sons and daughters : and all the days of Mahalaleel
were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he
died.
And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years,
and he begat Enoch: and Jared lived after he be-
gat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and
daughters : and all the days of Jared were nine hun-
dred sixty and two years: and he died.
And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat
Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God after he
begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat
sons and daughters : and all the days of Enoch were
three hundred sixty and five years: and Enoch walked
with God: and he was not; for God took him.
And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven
years, and begat Lamech: and Methuselah lived af-
ter he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two
years, and begat sons and daughters : and all the days
of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine
years: and he died.
And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two
years, and begat a son : and he called his name Noah,
saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our
work and toil of our hands, because of the ground
which the Lord hath cursed. And Lamech lived after
[ 13 ]
GENESIS [VI
he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years,
and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of
Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven
years: and he died.
And Noah was five hundred years old : and Noah
begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply
on the face of the earth, and daugliters were born
unto thern, that the sons of God saw the daughters
of men that they were fair ; and they took them wives
of all which they chose. And the Lord said. My spirit
shall not always strive with man, for that he also is
flesh : yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty
years. There were giants 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 became mighty men which were
of old, men of renown.
And God saw that the wickedness of man was
great in the earth, and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And
it repented the Lord that he had made man on the
earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord
said, I will destroy man whom I have created from
the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the
creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it re-
[ 14 ]
VI] GENESIS
penteth me that I have made them. But Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord,
These are the generations of Noah : Noah was a
just man and perfe61 in his generations, and Noah
walked with God. And Noah begat three sons,Shem,
Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before
God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God
looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt;
for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is
come before me; for the earth is filled with violence
through them ; and, behold, I will destroy them with
the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms
shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and
without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou
shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three
hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the
height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make
to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above;
and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side there-
of; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou
make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of
waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein
is the breath of life, from under heaven ; and every
thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will
I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into
[ 15 ]
GENESIS [VII
the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy
sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of
all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the
ark, to keep them alive with thee ; they shall be male
and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle
after dieir kind, of every creeping thing of the earth
after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee,
to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all
food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee;
and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus
did Noah ; according to all that God commanded him,
so did he.
And the Lord 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 by sevens, the male and his
female : and of beasts that are not clean by two, the
male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens,
the male and the female ; to keep seed alive upon the
face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will
cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty
nights ; and every living substance that I have made
will I destroy from off "the face of the earth. And Noah
did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.
And Noah was six hundred years old when die flood
of waters was upon the earth.
[ l« ]
VII] GENESIS
And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wif. , and
his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the
waters of the flood. Of clean beasts, and of beasts
that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing
that creepeth upon the earth, there went in two and
two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female,
as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass
after seven days, that the waters of the flood were
upon the earth.
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the sec-
ond month, the seventeenth day of the month, the
same day were all the fountains of the great deep
broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty
nights. In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem,
and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's
wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into
the ark ; they, and every beast after his kind, and all
the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every
fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. And
they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two
of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. And they
that went in, went in male and female of all flesh,
as God had commanded him : and the Lord shut him
in. And the flood was forty days upon the earth ; and
[ 17 ]
GENESIS [VIII
the ^^'aters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was
lift up above the earth. And the waters prevailed, and
were increased greatly upon the earth ; and the ark
went upon the face of the waters. And the waters
prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the
high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were
covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters pre-
vail ; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh
died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of
cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose
nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the
dry land, died. And every Hving substance was de-
stroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both
man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the
fowl of the heaven ; and they were destroyed from
the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they
that were with him in the ark. And the waters pre-
vailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
And God remembered Noah, and every living
thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark :
and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and
the waters asswaged ; the fountains also of the deep
and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the
rain from heaven was restrained ; and the waters re-
turned from off the earth continually: and after the
[ 18 ]
VIII] GENESIS
end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were
abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month,
on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the moun-
tains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continu-
ally until the tenth month : in the tentli month, on the
first day of the month, were the tops of the moun-
tains seen.
And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that
Noah opened the window of the ark which he had
made: and he sent forth a raven, which went forth
to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off
the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see
if the waters were abated from oflP the face of the
ground ; but the dove found no rest for the sole of
her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for
the waters were on the face of the whole earth : then
he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled 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 in the even-
ing; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt
off: so Noah knew that the waters v/ere abated from
ofl^the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days;
and sent forth the dove; which returned not again
unto him any more.
And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first
[ 19 ]
GENESIS [VIII
year, in the first month, the first day of the month,
the waters were dried up from off the earth : and
Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked,
and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And
in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day
of the month, was the earth dried.
And God spake unto Noah, saying. Go forth of
the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy
sons' wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every
living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of
fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth ; that they may breed abun-
dantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon
the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and
his wife, and his sons' wives with him: every beast,
every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatso-
ever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went
forth out of the ark.
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and
took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl,
and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the
Lord smelled a sweet savour'; and the Lord said in
his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more
for man's sake; for 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
[ 20 ]
IX] GENESIS
earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and
heat, and summer and winter, and day and night
shall not cease.
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said
unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish
the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you
shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every
fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth,
and upon all the fishes of the sea ; into your hand are
they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall
be meat for you ; even as the green herb have I given
you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which
is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your
blood of your lives Vv^ill I require ; at the hand of every
beast will I require it, and at the hand of man ; at the
hand of every man's brother will I require the life
of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall
his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he
man. And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring
forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with
him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant
with you, and with your seed after you; and with
every living creature that is with you, of the fowl,
of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with
you ; from all that go out of the ark , to every beast
[ ^^1 ]
GENESIS [IX
of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with
you ; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by
the waters of a flood ; neither shall there any more
be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This
is the token of the covenant which I make between
me and you and every living creature that is with
you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in
the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant
between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass,
when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow
shall be seen in the cloud : and I will remember my
covenant, which is between me and you and every
living creature of all flesh ; and the waters shall no
more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the
bow shall be in the cloud ; and I will look upon it,
that I may remember the everlasting covenant be-
tween God and every living creature of all flesh that
is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, Tliis is
the token of the covenant, which I have established
between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
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 are the three sons of Noah:
and of them was the whole earth overspread.
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he
planted a vineyard: and he drank of the wine, and
[ 22 ]
X] GENESIS
was drunken ; and he was uncovered within his tent.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness
of his father, and told his two brethren without. And
Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon
both their shoulders, and went backward, and co-
vered the nakedness of their father ; and their faces
were backward, and they saw not their father's na-
kedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew
what his younger son had done unto him. And he
said.
Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants shall he be unto his
brethren.
And he said.
Blessed be the Lord God of Shem ;
And Canaan shall be his servant.
God shall enlarge Japheth,
And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem ;
And Canaan shall be his servant.
And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and
fifty years. And all the days of Noah were nine hun-
dred and fifty years: and he died.
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah,
Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons
born after the flood.
The sons of Japheth ; Gomer, and Magog, and
[ 23 ]
GENESIS [X
Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Ti-
ras. And the sons of Gomer ; Ashkenaz, and Riphath,
and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan ; Elishah, and
Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the
isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands ; every one
after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and
Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and
Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah:
and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. And
Cush begat Nimrod : he began to be a mighty one in
the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord:
wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hun-
ter before the Lord. And the beginning of his king-
dom was Babel, and Erech,and Accad,and Cain eh, in
the land of Shinar.Out of that land went forth Asshur,
and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Ca-
lah,and Resen between Nineveh andCalah:the same
is a great city. And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Ana-
mim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, and Pathrusim,
and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and
Caphtorim.
And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,
and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and
the Arvadite, and the Zernarite, and the Hamathite:
[ 24 ]
X] GENESIS
and afterward were the families of the Canaanites
spread abroad. And the border of the Canaanites was
from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as
thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah,
and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. These are the sons
of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in
their countries, and in their nations.
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of
Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him
were children born. The children of Shem ;Elam,and
Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. And the
children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and
Mash. And Arphaxad begat Salah ; and Salah begat
Eber. And unto Eber vv^ere born two sons : the name
of one was Peleg; for in his days was* the earth di-
vided; and his brother's name was Joktan. And Jok-
tan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth,
and Jerah, and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, and
Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, and Ophir, and Havi-
lah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest
unto Sephar a mount of the east. These are the sons
of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in
their lands, after their nations.
These are the families of the sons of Noah, after
their generations, in their nations : and by these were
[ 25 ]
GENESIS [XI
the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
And the whole earth was of one language, and of
one speech. And it came to pass, as they journe3red
from the 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
throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime
had they for morter. And they said. Go to, let us
build us a city and a tower, whose top may reacli unto
heaven ; and let us make us a name, lest we be scat-
tered abroad upon the faceof the whole earth. And the
Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which
the children of men builded. And the Lord said. Be-
hold, the people is one, and they have all one lan-
guage ; and this they begin to do : and now nothing
will be restrained from them, which they have im-
agined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there con-
found their language, that they may not understand
one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them
abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth :
and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the
name of it called Babel ; because the Lord did there
confound the language of all the earth: and from
thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the
face of all the earth.
These are the generations of Shem : Shem was an
[ ^6 ]
XI] GENESIS
hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years
after the flood : and Shem lived after he begat Ar-
phaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daugh-
ters.
And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and be-
gat Salah : and Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah
four hundred and three years, and begat sons and
daughters.
And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber : and
Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and
three years, and begat sons and daughters.
And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat
Peleg : and Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hun-
dred and thirty years, and begat sons and daugh-
ters.
And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: and
Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine
years, and begat sons and daughters.
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat
Serug: and Reu lived after he begat Serug two hun-
dred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:
and Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred
years, and begat sons and daughters.
And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and be-
gat Terah: and Nahor lived after he begat Terah
[ 27 ]
GENESIS [xii
ail hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and
daughters.
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram,
Nahor, and Haran.
Now these are the generations of Terah : Terah
begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat
Lot. And Haran died before 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, Mil-
cah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and
the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren ; she had no
child. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the
son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter
in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth
with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the
land of Canaan ; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt
there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and
five years: and Terah died in Haran.
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out
of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and
I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless
thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be
a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and
curse him tliat curseth thee : and in thee shall all fami-
[ 28 ]
XII] GENESIS
lies of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as
the Lord had spoken unto him ; and Lot went with
him : and Abram was seventy and five years old when
he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his
wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their sub-
stance that they had gathered, and the souls that
they had gotten in Haran ; and they went forth to go
into the land of Canaan ; and into the land of Canaan
they came.
And Abram passed through the land unto the place
of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaan-
ite was then in tlie land. And the Lord appeared unto
Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land:
and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who ap-
peared imto iiim. And he removed from thence unto
a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent,
having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and
there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called
upon the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed,
going on still toward the south.
And there was a famine in the land : and Abram
went down into Egypt to sojourn there ; for the famine
was grievous 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 woman to look upon: therefore it shall come
[ 29 ]
GENESIS [XIII
to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they
shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but
they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art
my sister: that it may be w^ell with me for thy sake;
and my soul shall 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. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her,
and commended her before Pharaoh : and the woman
Vv^as 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 the Lord plagued
Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because
of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram,
and said, What 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 I might have
taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy
wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh com-
manded his men concerning him : and they sent him
away, 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
[ yo ]
xrri] GENESIS
south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent
had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai ;
unto the place of the altar, which he had made there
at the first: and there Abram called on the name of
the Lord.
And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks,
and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to
bear them, that they might dwell together: for their
substance was great, so that they could not dwell to-
gether. 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, and between
my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be 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 depart to 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 every where, before the Lord
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden
of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest
unto Zoar. Then Ix)t chose him all the plain of Jor-
dan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated
themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled
[ 31 J
GENESIS [XIV
in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities
of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But
the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before
the Lord exceedingly.
And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was
separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look
from- the place where thou art northward, and south-
ward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land
which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed
for ever. 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 I will give it unto thee. Then Abram
removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain
of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an
altar unto the Lord.
And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king
of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar,Chedorlaomer king
of Elam, and Tidal king of nations ; that these made
war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king
of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber
king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
All these were joined together in the vale of Sid-
dim, which is tlie salt sea. Twelve years they served
Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year tliey re-
[ 32 ]
r
'^1^^'
t ,
XIV] GENESIS
belled. And in the fourteenth year came Chedorla-
omer, and the kings that were with him, and smote
the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Ziizims
in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, and
the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which
is by the wilderness. And they returned, and came
to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the
country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites,
that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar. And there went out the
king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the
king of Admah,and the kingof Zeboiim,and the king
of Bela ( the same is Zoar ; ) and they joined battle
with them in the vale of Siddim ; with Chedorlaomer
the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and
Amraphel king of Shinar,and Arioch king of Ellasar ;
four kings with five. And the vale of Siddim was full
of slimepits ; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah
fled, and fell there ; and they that remained fled to
the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom
and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their
way. And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who
dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
And there came one that had escaped, and told
Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of
Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother
of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
I [ ^^ j a
GENESIS [XIV
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken
captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his
own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued
them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them,
he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and
pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand
of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and
also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods,
and the women also, and the people/A ^^i Ji^^'^^^fi-^
And the king of Sodom went out to meet hiifi after
his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and
of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Sha-
veh, which is the king's dale. And Melchizedek king
of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was
the priest of the most high God. And he blessed hi^,
and said, Blessied be Abram of the most high G()d,
possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the
most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies
into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. And the
king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the per-
son^,-and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said
to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto
the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven
and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to
a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that
is thine, lest thou shou'dest say, I have made Abram
[ 34' ]
xvi gp:nesis
rich : save only that which the young men have eaten,
and the portion of the men which went with me,
Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their por-
tion.
After these things the word of the Lord came
unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I
am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And
Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, see-
ing I go childless, and the steward of my house is
this Eliezer of Damascus.^ x\nd 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 the
Lord came unto him, saying. This 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 number them : and he said
unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in
the Lord ; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought
thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land
to inherit it. And he said. Lord God, 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 unto
GENESIS [XVI
him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid
each piece one against another : but the birds divided
he not. And when the fowls came down upon the
carcases, 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, Know of a surety that thy
seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not their's,
and shall serve them ; and diey shall affli6l them four
hundred years ; and also that nation, whom they shall
serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out
with great substance. And tliou shalt go to thy fa-
thers in peace ; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither
again : for the iniquity of the Amorites 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
burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In
the same day the Lord 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 Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the
Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and
the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites,
and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children:
[ 36 ]
XVI] GENESIS
and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name
was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now,
the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray
thee, go in unto my maid ; it may be that I may ob-
tain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the
voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram 's wife took Hagar
her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten
years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her hus-
band Abram to be his wife.
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived:
and when she saw that she had conceived, her mis-
tress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto
Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my
maid into thy bosom ; and when she saw that she
had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord
judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto
Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as
it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with
her, she fled from her face.
And the angel of the Lord found her by a foun-
tain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in
the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid,
whence camest thou ? and whither wilt thou go ^ And
she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
And the angel of the Lord said unto her. Return to
thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
[ 3^ ]
GENESIS [XVII
And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will mul-
tiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be num-
bered for multitude. And the angel of the Ij^rd said
unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear
a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael ; because the
Lord hath heard thy affli61:ion. And he will be a wild
man;; his hand will be against every man, and every
man's hand against him ; and he shall dwell in the
presence of all his brethren. And she called the name
of the Lord that spake unto her. Thou God seest
me: for she said. Have I also here looked after him
that seeth me ? Wherefore the well was called Beer-
lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
And Hagar bare Abram a son : and Abram called
his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. And
Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar
bare Ishmael to Abram.
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine,
the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I
am the Almighty God ; walk before me, and be thou
perfe6t. And I will make my covenant between me
and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And
Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him,
saying. As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee,
and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither
shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy
[ 38]
XVII] GENESIS
name shall be Abraham ; for a father of many na-r
tions have I made thee. And I will make thee ex-
ceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and
kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish
my covenant betw^een me and thee and thy seed after
thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant,
to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee,
the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of
Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be
their God. -rla bns ^.bio 8T£9y baibnufi ns zi
, And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep
my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee
in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye
shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after
thee ; Every man child among you shall be circum-
cised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-
skin ; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt
me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be
circumcised among you, every man child in your
generations, he that is born in the house, or bought
with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought
with thy money, must needs be circumcised : and my
covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting
covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose
[ 39 ]
GENESIS [XVII
flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall
be cut off from his people; he hath broken my cove-
nant.
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife,
thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her
name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son
also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a
mother of nations ; kings of people shall be of her.
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and
said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that
is an hundred years old.^ and shall Sarah, that is
ninety years old, bear ? And Abraham said unto God,
O that Ishmael might live before thee ! And God said,
Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed ; and thou
shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my cove-
nant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with
his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard
thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him
fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly ; twelve
princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great
nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac,
which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in
the next year. And he left off talking with him, and
God went up from Abraham.
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that
were born in his house, and all that were bought with
[ 'iO ]
xviii] GENESIS
his money, every male among the men of Ahraham's
house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in
the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. And
Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he
was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ish-
mael his son was thirteen years old, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the self-
same day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his
son. And all the men of his house, born in the house,
and bought with money of the stranger, were cir-
cumcised with him.
And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of
Mamre : and 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 by him: and when he saw them, he ran
to meet them from the tent door, and bowed him-
self toward the ground, and said, My Lord, if now I
have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray
thee, from thy servant: let a little water, I pray you,
be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves
under the tree: and I will fetch a morsel of bread,
and comfort ye your hearts ; after that ye shall pass
on : for therefore are ye come to your servant. And
they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham
hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said. Make
ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it,
I [ ^1 ] «^
GENESIS [XVIII
and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran
unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and
gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress
it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which
he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood
by them under the tree, and they did eat.
And they said unto him. Where is Sarah thy wife ?
And he said. Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will
certainly return unto thee according to the time of
life; and, Ip, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And
Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken
in age ; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the man-
ner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within her-
self, saying. After I am waxed old shall I have plea-
sure, my lord being old also ^ And the Lord said unto
Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying. Shall
I of a surety bear a child, which am old ? Is any thing
too hard for the Lord ? At the time appointed I will re-
turn unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah
shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, 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 Abraham went with them to bring
them on the way. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from
[ 42 1
XVIII] GENESIS
Abraham that thing which I do ; seeing that Abraham
shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and
all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him ?
For I know him, that he will command his children
and his household after him, and they shall keep the
way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment ; that the
Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath
spoken of him. And the Lord 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 they have done altogether according to the
cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will
know. And the men turned their faces from thence,
and went toward Sodom : but Abraham stood yet be-
fore the Lord.
And Abraham drew near, and said. Wilt thou also
destroy the righteous with the wicked ? Peradven-
ture there be fifty righteous within the city : wilt thou
also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty right-
eous that are therein .^That be far from thee to do after
this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked :
and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that
be far from thee : shall not the Judge of all the earth
do right.? And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty
righteous within the city, then I will spare all the
place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and
[ vs ]
GENESIS [XIX
said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak
unto the Lord, whicli am but dust and ashes: per-
adventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous :
wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five ? And
he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not de-
stroy it. 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 forty's sake. And he said
unto him. Oh let not the Lord 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 the Lord: peradventure there shall be
twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy
it for twenty's sake. And he said. Oh let not the Lord
be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: perad-
venture ten shall be found there. And he said, I will
not destroy it for ten's sake. And the Lord went his
way, as soon as he had left communing with Abra-
ham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
And there came two angels to Sodom at even ; and
Lot sat in the gate of Sodom : and Lot seeing them
rose up to meet them ; and he bowed himself with
his face toward the ground ; and he said. Behold now,
my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's
house, and tarry all niglit, and wash your feet, and
[ 4^ ]
XIX] GENESIS
ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they
said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
And he pressed upon 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
old and young, 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. And Lot
went out at the door unto them, and shut the door
after him, and said, I pray you, 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 ; for therefore
came they under the shadow of my roof. And they
said, Stand back. And they said again, 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
came near to break the door. But the men put forth
their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them,
and shut to the door. And they smote the men that
[ 45 ]
GENESIS [XIX
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 whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out
of this place: for we will destroy this place, because
the cry of them is waxen great before the face of
the Lord; and the Lord 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 the Lord will destroy this city.
But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in
law.
And when the morning arose, then the angels has-
tened Lot, saying. Arise, take thy wife, and thy two
daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed
in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the
men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of
his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters ; the
Lord being merciful unto him : and they brought him
forth, and set him without the city.
And it came to pass, when they had 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
[ 46 ]
XIX] GENESIS
Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord : behold now,
thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou
hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed
unto me in saving my life ; and I cannot escape to the
mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: behold
now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one :
oh, 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 this city, for the 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 en-
tered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom
and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord
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 back from behind him, and
she became a pillar of salt.
And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the
place where he stood before the Lord : and he looked
toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the
land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of
the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
[ 47 ]
GENESIS [XIX
And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities
of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and
sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he
overthrew the cities in the which Lot dweh.
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 perceived not when she lay down,
nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the mor-
row, 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 perceived 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
r 4<s ]
XX] GENESIS
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.
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the
south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and
Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said
of Sarah his wife. She is my sister: and Abimelech
king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. But God came
to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him,
Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman wliich
thou hast taken ; for she is a man's wife. But Abime-
lech had not come near her: and he said. Lord, wilt
thou slay also a righteous nation.^ Said he not unto
me, She is my sister.? and she, even she herself said,
He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and
innocency of my hands have I done this. And God
said unto him in a dream. Yea, I know that thou didst
this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld
thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I
thee not to touch her. Now therefore restore tlie man
his wife ; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for
thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not,
know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all
that are thine. Therefore Abimelech rose early in tlie
morning, and called all his servants, and told all these
[ 49 ]
GENESIS [XX
things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him,
What hast thou done unto us ? and what have I of-
fended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my
kingdom a great sin ? thou hast done deeds unto me
that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto
Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this
thing ? And Abraham said. Because I thought. Surely
the fear of God is not in this place ; and they will slay
me for my wife's sake. And yet indeed she is my sister ;
she is the daughter of my father, but not the daugh-
ter of my mother ; and she became my wife. And it
came to pass, when God caused me to wander from
my father's house, that I said unto her. This is thy
kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every
place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my
brother. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and
menservants, and womenservants, and gave them
unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And
Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell
where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said. Be-
hold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of
silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes,
unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus
she was reproved.
So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed
[ 50 ]
XXI] GENESIS
Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and
they bare children. For the Lord had fast closed up
all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because
of Sarah Abraham's wife.
And the Ix)rd visited Sarah as he had said, and
the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah
conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at
the set time of which God had spoken to him. And
Abraham called the name of his son that was born
unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abra-
ham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old,
as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an
hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto
him.
And Sarah said , God hath made me to laugh , so that
all that hear will laugh with me. And she said. Who
would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should
have given children suck ? for I have born him a son
in his old age. And the child grew, and was weaned:
and Abraham made a great feast the same day that
Isaac was weaned.
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,
which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Where-
fore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwo-
man and her son : for the son of this bondwoman shall
not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the
[ 51 J
GENESIS [XXI
thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because
of his son.
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be griev-
ous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of
thy bondwoman ; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee,
hearken unto her voice ; for in Isaac shall thy seed be
called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I
make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham
rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a
bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on
her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and
she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-
sheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she
cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went,
and sat her down over against him a good way off, as
it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the
death of the child. And she sat over against him, and
lift up her voice, and v/ept. And God heard the voice
of the lad ; and the angel of God called to Hagar out
of heaven , and said unto her , What aileth thee, Hagar ?
fear not; for God hath heard the voiceof the lad where
he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in tliine hand;
for I will make him a great nation. And God opened
her eyes, and she saw a well of water ; and she went,
and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink .
And God was with the lad ; and he grew, and dwelt in
[ 53 ]
XXI] GENESIS
the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt
in the wilderness of Paran : and his mother took him
a wife out of the land of Egypt.
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech
and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto
Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou
doest: now therefore swear unto me here by God
that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my
son, nor with my son's son : but according to the kind-
ness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto
me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned. And
Abraham said, I will swear. And Abraham reproved
Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abime-
lech's servants had violently taken away. And Abime-
lech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither
didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to
day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave
them unto Abimelech ; and both of them made a cove-
nant. And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock
by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham,
What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast
set by themselves ? And he said. For these seven ewe
lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may
be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba ; because
there they sware both of them. Thus they made a
[ 53 ]
GENESIS [xxii
covenant at Beer-sheba : then Abimelech rose up, and
Phichol thechief captain of his host, and they returned
into the land of the Philistines.
And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and
called there on the name of the Lord, the everlast-
ing God. And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines'
land many days.
And it came to pass after these things, that God
did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham:
and he said. Behold, here I am. And he said, Take
now^ thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,
and get thee into the land of Moriah ; and offer him
there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains
which I will tell thee of. • i^-^^i
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and
saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with
him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the
burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place
of which God had told him. Then on the third day
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar
off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide
ye here with the ass ; and I and the lad will go yonder
and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham
took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon
Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and
a knife ; and they went both of them together. And
L ^4 J
XXII] GENESIS
Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My
father: and he said. Here am I, my son. And he said.
Behold the fire and the wood : but where is the lamb
for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son,
God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering :
so they went both of them together. And they came
to the place which God had told him of; and Abra-
ham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order,
and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon
the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and
took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the
Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abra-
ham, Abraham : and he said, Here am I. And he said.
Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any
thing unto him : for now I know that thou fear est God,
seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son
from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked,
and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by
his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and
offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of
his son. And Abraham called the name of that place
Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day. In the mount
of the Lord it shall be seen.
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham
out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself
have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast
[ 55 ]
GENESIS [xxiir
done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine
only son : that in blessing I will bless thee, and in mul-
tiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the
heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;
and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies ;
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed ; because thou hast obeyed my voice. So Abra-
ham returned unto his young men, and they rose up
and went together to Beer-sheba ; and Abraham dwelt
at Beer-sheba.
And it came to pass after these things, that it was
told Abraham, saying. Behold, Milcah, she hath also
born children unto thy brother Nahor ; Huz his first-
born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father
of Aram, and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and
Jidlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Rebekah:
these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's bro-
ther. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah,
she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and
Maachah.
And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty
years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron
in the land of Canaan : and Abraham came to mourn
for Sarah, and to weep for her.
And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and
L ^6 J
XXIII] GENESIS
spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger
and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of
a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead
out of my sight. And the children of Heth answered
Abraham, saying unto him. Hear us, my lord: thou
art a mighty prince among us : in the choice of our
sepulchres bury thy dead ; none of us shall withhold
from thee his sepulchre, but that thou may est bury
thy dead. And Abraham stood up, and bowed him-
self to the people of the land, even to the children
of Heth, And he communed with them, saying. If it
be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my
sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the
son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Mach-
pelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field ;
for as much money as it is worth he shall give it
me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth : and
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audi-
ence of the children of Heth, even of all that went
in at the gate of his city, saying. Nay, my lord, hear
me : the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein,
I give it thee ;in the presence of the sons of my people
give I it thee : bury thy dead. And Abraham bowed
down himself before the people of the land. And he
spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of
[ S7 ]
GENESIS Exxfv
the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee,
hear me: I will give thee money for the field ; take it
of me, and I will bury my dead there. And Ephron an-
swered Abraham, saying unto him,My lord, hearken
unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of
silver ; what is that betwixt me and thee ? bury there-
fore thy dead. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron ;
and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which
he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth,
four hundred shekels of silver, current money with
the merchant. -;
And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah;
which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave
which was therein, and all the trees that were in the
field, that were in all the borders round about, were
made sure unto Abraham for a possession in the pre-
sence of the children of Heth, before all that went
in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham
buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Mach-
pelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land
of Canaan. And the field, and the cave that is therein,
were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of
a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.
V And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age:
and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And
Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house,
I. 58 ]
XXIV J GENESIS
that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy
hand under my thigh: and I will make thee swear
by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the
earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son
of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I
dwell: but thou shalt go unto my country, and to
my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. 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 Abraham said unto him. Beware
thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
The Lord God of heaven, which took me from
my father's house, and from the land of my kindred,
and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me,
saying. Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall
send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife
unto my son from thence. And if the woman will
not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear
from this my oath: only bring not my son thither
again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh
of Abraham his master, and sware to him concern-
ing that matter.
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of
his master, and departed : for all the goods of his
master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to
[ 59 ]
GENESIS [XXIV
Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made
his camels to kneel down without the city by a well
of water at the time of the evening, even the time
that women go out to draw water. And he said, O
Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send
me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my
master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well
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 down 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 speaking,
that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to
BethueljSon of Milcah,the wife of Nahor, Abraham'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
well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the
servant ran to meet her, and said. Let me, I pray
thee, drink 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
[ 60 ]
XXIV] GENESIS
she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw
water for thy camels also, until they have done drink-
ing. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the
trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water,
and drew for all his camels. And the man wonder-
ing at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord
had made his journey prosperous or not. And it came
to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the
man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight,
and two bracelets for her hands often 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 daugh-
ter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto
Nahor. She said moreover unto him, We have both
straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped
the Lord. And he said. Blessed be the Lord God of
my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my
master of his mercy and his truth : I being in the way,
the Lord led me to the houseof my master's brethren.
And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's
house these things.
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was
Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the
well. And it came to pass, when he saw the earring
[ 61 ]
GENESIS ixXiY
and 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 well. And
he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; where-
fore standest thou without ? for I have prepared the
house, and room for the camels.
And the man came into the house : and he ungirded
his camels, and gave straw and provender for the ca-
mels, 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 will not eat, until I have told
mine errand. And he said, Speak on. And he said, I
am Abraham's servant. And the Lord hath blessed
my master greatly ; and he is become great : and he
hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold,
and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and
asses. And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my
master when she was old: and unto liim hath he given
all that he hath. And my master made me swear,
saying. Thou shalt not take a wife to 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 unto my son. And I said unto
my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow
me. And he said unto me. The Lord, ^>efore whom I
[ 6^ ]
xxrv] GENESIS
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 this my oath, when thou comest to my
kindred ; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be
clear from my oath. And I came this day unto the
well, and said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, if
now thou do prosper my way which I go: behold, I
stand by the well of water ; and it shall come to pass,
that when the virgin cometh forth to draw v/ater, and
I say to her. Give me, I pray thee, a little water of
thy pitcher to drink ; and she say to me. Both drink
thou, and I will also draw for thy camels : let the same
be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out
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
well, and drew water: 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 earring upon her face, and
th^ bracelets upon her hands. And I bowed down
[ 63 ]
GENESIS [XXIV
my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the
Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led
me in the right way to take my master's brother's
daughter unto his son. And now if ye will 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 pro-
ceedeth from the Lord : 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 the
Lord hatli spoken. And it came to pass, that, when
Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped
the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. And the ser-
vant 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 tlie 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 the Lord hath prospered
my way ; send me away that I may go to my master.
And they said. We will call the damsel, and enquire
at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto
[ (^^ ]
XXV] GENESIS
her. Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will
go. And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her
nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. And they
blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our
sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions,
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 the well Lahai-roi ; for he dwelt
in the south country. And Isaac went out to meditate
in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes,
and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. And
Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac,
she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the
servant, What man is this that walketh in the field
to meet us.^ And the servant had said. It is my mas-
ter: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent,
and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he
loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's
death.
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name
wasKeturah. And she bare himZimran,and Jokshan,
I [ 65 ] c
GENESIS [XXV
and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak,and Shuah. And
Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of
Dedan were Asshurim , and Letushim, and Leummim.
And the sons of Midian ; Ephah, and Epher, and Ha-
noch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the
children of Keturah.
And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But
unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had,
Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac
his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east
country. And these are the days of the years of Abra-
ham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and
fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and
died in a good old age, an old; man, and full of years ;
and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac
and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah,
in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite,
which is before Mamre; the field which Abraham
purchased of the sons of Heth : there was Abraham
buried, and Sarah his wife.
And it came to pass after the death of Abraham,
that God blessed his son Isaac ; and Isaac dwelt by
the well Lahai-roi.
Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abra-
ham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's hand-
maid, bare unto Abraham: and these are the names
[ 66 ]
XXV] GENESIS
of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to
their generations : the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth ;
and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, and Mishma,
and Dumah,andMassa,Hadar,and Tema, Jetur,NaT
phish, and Kedemah: these are the sons of Ishmael,
and these are their names, by their towns, and by
their castles ; twelve princes according to their na-
tions. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael,
an hundred and thirty and seven years : and he gave
up the ghost and died ; and was gathered unto his
people. And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that
is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and
he died in the presence of all his brethren.
And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's
son : Abraham begat Isaac : and Isaac was forty years
old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of
Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to La-
ban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the Lord for his
wife, because she was barren : and the Lord was in-
treated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And
the children struggled together within her ; and she
said. If it be so, why am I thus ? And she went to en-
quire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her.
Two nations are in thy womb,
And two manner of people shall be separated from
thy bowels;
[ 67 ]
GENESIS [XXV
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 out red, all over like an hairy garment; and
they called his name Esau. And after that came his
brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel ;
and his name was called Jacob : and Isaac was three-
score years old when she bare them. And the boys
grew : and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the
field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his veni-
son: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
And Jacob sod pottage : and Esau came 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 this birthright do to me ? And Jacob said, Swear
to me this day ; and he sware unto him : and he sold
his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread
and pottage of lentiles ; and he did eat and drink, and
rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his
birthright.
[ 68 ]
XXVI] GENESIS
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first
famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac
went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Ge-
rar. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go
not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall
tell thee of: sojourn in this land, and I will be with
thee, and will bless thee ; for unto thee, and unto thy
seed, I will give all these countries, and I will per-
form the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy fa-
ther; and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars
of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these coun-
tries ; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth
be blessed ; because that Abraham obeyed my voice,
and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes,
and my laws.
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. She is my wife; lest, said he,
the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah ; be-
cause 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, Be-
hold, of a surety she is thy wife : and how saidst thou,
She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I
[ 69 j
GENESIS [XXVI
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 with thy wife, and thou shouldest
have brought guiltiness upon us. And Abimelech
charged all his people, saying. He that toucheth this
man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the
sameyear an hundredfold : and the Lord blessed him.
And the man waxed great, and went forward, and
grew until he became very great: for he had posses-
sion of flocks, and possession of herds, and great stofe
of servants: and the Philistines envied him. For all
the wells which his father's servants had digged in
the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had
stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abi-
melech said unto Isaac, Go from us ; for thou art much
mightier than we. : i^un iJ-jAcs:
And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tehtiti
the valley of Gerar, and dweltthere. And Isaac digged
again the wells of water, which they had digged in
the days of Abraham his father ; for the Philistines
had stopped them after the death of Abraham : 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 springing
water. And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with
[ ^0 ]
XXVI] GENESIS
Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is our's: and he
called the name of the well Esek ; because they strove
with him. And they digged another well, and 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 the Lord hath
made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the
land. And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba.
And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and
said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not,
for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply
thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. And he
builded an altar there, and called upon the name of
the Lord, and pitched his tent there : and there Isaac's
servants digged a well.
Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and
Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief
captainof his army. And Isaacsaid unto them. Where-
fore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent
me away from you ? And they said. We saw certainly
that the Lord was with thee: and we said. Let there
be now 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
[ 71 ]
GENESIS [XXVII
sent thee away in peace : thou art now the blessed of
the Lord. 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 Shebah: therefore the name of the city is
Beer-sheba unto this day.
And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife
Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashe-
math the daughter of Elon the Hittite : which were a
grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
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 eldest son, and said unto him. My son: and
he said unto him. Behold, here am I. And he said,
Behold now, I am old, I know not theday of my death:
now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy
quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take
me some venison ; and make me savoury meat, such
as I love, and bring 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 veni-
L 72 J
XXVII] GENESIS
son, and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob
her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak un-
to Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and
make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless
thee before the Lord before m.y death. Now there-
fore, my son, obey my voice according to that which
I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me
from thence tv/o 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, and 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 obey 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 goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, 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 hand of her son Jacob.
I [ ^-3 ] c2
GENESIS [XXVII
<> 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 according as thou badest me: arise, I pray
thee, sit and eat of my venison, 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, Be-
cause the Lord thy God brought it to me. And Isaac
said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may
feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau
or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father ;
and he felt him, and said. The voice is Jacob's voice,
but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned
him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother
Esau's hands: so he blessed him. And he said. Art
thou my very 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 the
Lord hath blessed: therefore God givetheeof thcdew
of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty
[ 74 j
XXVII] GENESIS
of corn and wine: let people 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 he 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 had
made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father,
and 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? where
is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me,
and I have eaten of all before thou earnest, and have
blessed him.^ yea, and he shall be blessed. And when
Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a
great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his fa-
ther. Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he
said. Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken
away thy blessing. 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 away my blessing. And he said, Hast
[ ^5 ]
GENESIS [xxvii
thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac an-
swered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him
thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for
servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained
him : and what shall I do now unto thee, my son ? And
Esau said unto his father. Hast thou but one blessing,
my father? bless me, even me also,0 my father. And
Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his fa-
ther answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwell-
ing shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew
of heaven from above ; and by thy sword shalt thou
live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come
to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou
shalt break his yoke from off 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 m.y brother Jacob. And these
words of Esau her elder son w^ere told to Rebekah:
and she sent and called Jacob her 3^ounger son, and
said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching
thee, doth comfort himself, 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,
[ T6 ]
XXVIII] GENESIS
and he forget that which thou hast done to him : then
I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should
I be deprived also of you both in one day ?
And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life
because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a
wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which
are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my
life do me?
And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and
charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a
wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan-
aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father;
and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters
of Laban thy mother's brother. And God Almighty
bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee,
that thou mayest be a multitude of people ; and give
thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy
seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land
wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto
Abraham. And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went
to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syr-
ian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mo-
ther.
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and
sent him av/ay to Padan-aram, to take him a wife
from thence ; and that as he blessed him he gave him
[ ^7 ]
GENESIS [XXVIII
a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the
daughters of Canaan ; and that Jacob obeyed his fa-
ther and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram ;
and Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased
not Isaac his father; then went Esau unto Ishmael,
and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the
daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of
Nebajoth, to be his wife.
And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba,and went to-
ward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and
tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and
he took of the stones of that place, and put them for
his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And
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, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the
Lord God of Abraham 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 in all places whither thou goest,
and will bring thee again into this land ; for I will not
[ ^8 ]
xxixj GENESIS
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 the Lord is in 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
for his pillows, 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 that city was called
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 the Lord be my God: and this
stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's
house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely
give the tenth unto thee.
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the
land of the people of the east. And he looked, and be-
hold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks
of sheep lying by it ; for out of that well they v/atered
the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's
mouth. And thither were all the flocks gathered:
and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and
[ ^^ ]
GENESIS [XXIX
watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon
the well's mouth in his 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 he well.? And they
said, He 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 till they roll
the stone from the well's mouth ; then we water the
sheep.
And while he yet 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, and the sheep of La-
ban 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
[ «o J
XXIX] GENESIS
meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and
brought him 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.^^ x\nd La-
ban had two daughters : the name of the elder was
Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah
was tender eyed ; but Rachel was beautiful and well
favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel ; and said, I will
serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daugh-
ter. 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 Laban gave unto his
daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. And
it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was
[ «l ]
GENESIS [XXIX
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 thou beguiled me ? And Laban
said, It must not be so done in our country, to give
the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week,
and we will give thee this also for the service which
thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And
Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week : and he gave him
Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to
Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her
maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved
also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him
yet seven other years. Hio'iaissY r:
And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he
opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. And Leah
conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name
Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked
upon my affli6f ion ; now therefore my husband will
love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son;
and said. Because the Lord hath heard that I was 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 husband be
joined unto me, because I have born k-im three sons:
therefore was his namecalled Levi. And she conceived
again, and bare a son : and she said. Now will I praise
[ «2 ]
XXX] GENESIS
the Lord : therefore she called his name Judah ; and
left bearing.
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no chil-
dren, Rachel envied her sister; and 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; and she shall bear upon my knees,
that I may also have children by her. And she gave
him Bilhah her handmaid to wife : and Jacob went in
unto her. And Bilhah conceived, 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 maid
conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And
Rachel said. With great wrestlings have I wrestled
with my sister, and I have prevailed : and she called
his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had left
bearing, she took Zilpah her maid,andgave her Jacob
to wife. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his
name Gad. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a sec-
ond son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters
V/ill call me blessed : and she called his name Asher.
And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest,
[ 83 ]
GENESIS [XXX
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 my
husband ? and wouldest thou take away my son's man-
drakes also.^ And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie
with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes. And Ja-
cob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah
went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in
unto me; for surely I have 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 the fifth son. And Leah said, God hath given
me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my
husband : and she called his name Issachar. And Leah
conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And
Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry;
now will my husband dwell with me, because I have
born him six sons : and she called his name Zebulun.
And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her
name Dinah.
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened
to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived,
and bare a son; and said, God hath taken awa}^ my
reproach : and she called his name Joseph ; and said,
The Lord shall add to me another son.
[ «^ ]
XXX] GENESIS
And it came to pass, when Rachel had born 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
which I have done thee. And Laban said unto him, I
pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry :
for I have learned by experience that the Lord 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 was with me. For it was little which thou hadst
before I came, and it is now increased unto a multi-
tude ; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my com-
ing: and now when shall I provide for mine own house
also ? And he said, What shall I give thee ? And Jacob
said. Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt
do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy
flock. I will pass through all thy flock to day, remov-
ing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle,
and all the brown cattle 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 in time to come, when it shall come for my
hire before thy face : every one that is not speckled
and spotted among the goats, and brown among the
[ «-5 ]
GENESIS [XXX
sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. And La-
ban 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, and every one that
had some white in it, and all the brown among the
sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. And
h^ set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob :
and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
,i> And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of
the hazel and chesnut tree ; and pilled white strakes
in them, and made the white appear which was in the
rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before
the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when
the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive
when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived
before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked,
speckled, and spotted. And Jacob did separate the
lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-
straked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban ; and
he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them
not unto Laban's cattle. And it came to pass, when-
soever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid
the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters,
that they might conceive among the rods. But when
the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the
[ «6 ]
XXXI] GENESIS
feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. And
the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle,
and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and
asses.
"^^ And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying,
Jacob hath taken away all 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 before. And
the Lord 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 be-
fore ; but the God of my father hath been with me.
And ye know that with all my 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 cattle bare speckled : and
if he said thus. The ringstraked shall be thy hire;
then bare all the cattle 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 cattle
conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a
dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the
[ 8^ 3
GENESIS [XXXI
cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. And
the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying,
Jacob: and I said, Here am I. And he said, Lift up
now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon
the cattle 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 the pillar, and
where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get
thee out from this land, and return unto the land of
thy kindred. And Rachel and Leah answered and said
unto him. Is there yet any portion or inheritance for
us in our father's house ? Are we not counted of him
strangers.^ for he hath sold us, and hath quite de-
voured also our money. For all the riches which God
hath taken from our father, that is our's, 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 camels; and he carried away all his cattle, and
all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his
getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to
go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. And La-
ban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen
the images that were her father's. And Jacob stole
away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told
him not that he fled. So he fled with all that lie had ;
[ «« ]
AND WHILE HE VET SPAKE \V1
father's SHEEl' : FOR SHE Ki
:H THEM,
PT THEM.
RACHAEL CAME WITH HER
' — Genesis xxix.
XXXI] GENESIS
and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set
his face toward the mount Gilead. And it was told
Laban on the tliird day that Jacob was fled. And he
took his brethren with him, and pursued after him
seven da3's' journe}^; and they overtook him in the
mount Gilead. And God came to Laban tlie Syrian
in a dream by night, and said unto him. Take heed
that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched
his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren
pitched in the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to
Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen
away unawares to me, and carried away my daugh-
ters, as captives taken with the sword .^ Wherefore
didst thou flee away 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 daughters ? thou hast now done foolishly in
so doing. It is in the power of my hand to do you
hurt : but the God of your father spake unto me yes-
ternight, saying. Take thou heed 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,
[ «9 ]
GENESIS [XXXI
Because I was afraid: for I said, Perad venture thou
wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. With
whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live:
before our brethren discern thou what is thine with
me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Ra-
chel had stolen them. And Laban went into Jacob's
tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidser-
vants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he
out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in
the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban
searched all the tent, but found them not. And she said
to her father. Let it not displease my lord that I can-
not rise up before thee ; for the custom of women is
upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban : and
Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my tres-
JDass ? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued
after me ? Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff,
what hast thou found of all thy household stuff .? set
it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that
they may judge betwixt us both. This twenty years
have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goatS
have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock
Kave 1 not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I
brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my
[ 90 ]
XXXI] GENESIS
hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by diy,^ or
stolen by night. Thus I was ; in the day the drought
consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep
departed from mine eyes. Thus have I been twenty
years in thy house ; I served thee fourteen y^ars for
thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and
thou hast changed my wages ten times. Except the
God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear
of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent
me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction
and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yes-
ternight.
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These
daughters are my daughters, and these children are
my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all
that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto
these my daughters, or unto their children \Vhich they
have born .^ Now therefore come thou, let us make' a
covenant, I and thou ; and let it be for a witness be-
tween me and thee. And Jacob took a stone/ and set
it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethr'eiiV
Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an
heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. And La-
ban called it Jegar-sahadutha : but Jacob called it Ga-
leed. And Laban said. This heap is a wimess between
me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it
[ 91 ]
GENESIS [XXXII
called Galeed; and Mizpah; for he said, The Lord
watch between me and thee, when we are absent
one from another. If thou shalt affli6l my daughters,
or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daugh-
ters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt
me and thee. And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this
heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt
me and thee; this heap be witness, and this pillar be
witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee,
and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this
pillar unto me, for harm. The God of Abraham, and
the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge be-
twixt us. And Jacob sware by the Fear of his father
Isaac. Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount,
and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat
bread, and tarried all night in the mount. And early
in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons
and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban de-
parted, and returned unto his place.
And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God
met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This
is God's host: and he called the name of that place
Mahanaim. And Jacob sent messengers before him
to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the coun-
try of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus
shall ye speak unto my lord Esau ; Thy servant Ja-
[ '^^ ]
XXXII] GENESIS
cob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed
there until now: and I have oxen, and asses, flocks,
and menservants, and womenservants : 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 also he cometh to meet
thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob
was greatly afraid and distressed : and he divided the
people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds,
and the camels, into two bands ; and said, If Esau come
to the one company, and smite it, then the other com-
pany which is left shall escape.
And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and
God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto
me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and
I will deal well with thee : 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
bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my
brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest
he will come and smite me, and 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 can-
not be numbered for multitude.
And he lodged there that same night ; and took of
[ 93 ]
GENESIS [XXXII
that ,\^liipK came to his hand a present for Esau his
brother ; two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats,
ttWQ,];ii4ndred ewes, and twenty rams, thirty milch ca-
iBpls with their colts, forty kine,and ten bulls, twenty
she asses, and ten foals. And he delivered them into
tjhyehand of his servants, every drove by themselves;
aqd said -unto his servants. Pass over before me, and
put a space betwixt drove and drove. And he com-
manded the foremost, saying. When Esau my brotlier
meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying. Whose art
thpu,!^ and whither goest thou.? and whose are these
before thee.? Then thou shalt say. They be thy ser-
y^ilt Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau:
aAd> behold, also he is behind us. And so commanded
he the second, and the third, and all that followed the
drpves, saying. On this manner shall ye speak unto
Esau, when ye find him. And say ye moreover, Be-
hold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I
will appease him with the present that goeth before
me, and afterward I will see^ his face; peradventure
he will accept of me. So went the present over before
him: and himself lodged that night in the company.
{ And he rose up that night, and took his two wives,
and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and
passed over the ford Jabbok. And he took them, and
sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
[ 94 ]
xxxiiij GENESIS
And Jacob was left alone ; and there wrestled a man
with, him uiitil 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 out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said,
Let me go, for the day break eth. 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 as a prince hast thou power with 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 I have seen God face to face,
and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel
the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew
which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh,
unto this day : because he touched the hollow of Ja-
cob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, be-
hold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men.
And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Ra-
chel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the
handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and
[ 95 ]
GENESIS [XXXIII
her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself
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 those with thee.?
And he said, The children which God hath graciously
given thy servant. Then the handmaidens came near,
they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed
themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel,
and they bowed themselves. And hesaid. What mean-
est thou by all this drove which I met.? And he said.
These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. And
Esau said, I have enough, my brother ; keep that thou
hast unto thyself. And Jacob said. Nay, I pray thee,
if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive
my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen
thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and
thou wast pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, my
blessing that is brought to thee; because God hatli
dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.
And he urged him, and he took it. And lie said. Let
us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go be-
fore thee. And he said unto him, My lord knoweth
[ 96 ]
XXXIV] GENESIS
that tlie children are tender, and the flocks and herds
with young are with me: and if men should overdrive
them one day, all the flock will die. Let my lord, I
pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will
lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth be-
fore me and the children be able to endure, 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: therefore the
name of the place is called Succoth.
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem,
which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from
Padan-aram ; and pitched his tent before the city. And
he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread
his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, She-
chem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. And
he ere6fed there an altar, and called itEl-elohe-Israel.
And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare
unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite,
prince of the country, saw her, he took her, ai"jd lay
with her, and defiled her. And his soul clave unto
I [ y'' ] c
GENESIS [XXXIV
Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the dam-
sel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. And Shechem
spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this
damsel to wife. And Jacob heard that he had defiled
Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle
in the field : and Jacob held his peace until they were
come.
And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto
Jacob to commune with him. And the sons of Jacob
came out of the field when they heard it: and the men
were grieved, and they were very wroth, because
he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's
daughter; which thing ought not to be done. And
Hamor communed with them, saying. The soul of
my son Shechem longeth for your daughter : I pray
you give her him to wife. And make ye marriages
with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take
our daughters unto you. And ye shall dwell with us:
and the land shall be before you ; dwell and trade ye
therein, and get you possessions therein. And She-
chem said unto her father and unto her brethren. Let
me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say
unto me I will give. Ask me never so much dowry
and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto
me: but give me the damsel to wife. And the sons
of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father
[ 9« ]
XXXIV] GENESIS
deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah
their sister: and they said unto them, We cannot do
this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircum-
cised; for that were a reproach unto us: but in this
will we consent unto you : if ye will be as we be, that
every male of you be circumcised; then will we give
our daughters unto you,and we will take your daugh-
ters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will
become one people. But if ye will not hearken unto
us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daugh-
ter, and we will be gone. And their words pleased
Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. And the young
man deferred not to do the thing, because he liad de-
light in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honour-
able than all the house of his father.
And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the
gate of their city, and communed with the men of
their city, saying, These men are peaceable with us;
therefore let them dwell in the land , and trade therein ;
for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let
us take their daughters to us for wives- ahd let i^s^
give them' our daughters. Only herein will the- iii en'
consent unto us for to dwell with Us, to be oiie people,
if every male among us be circumcised, as they are
circumcised. Shall hot their cattle and their substance
and every beast of their's be our's.^ only let us con-
[ m ]
GENESIS [XXXV
sent unto them, and they will dwell with us. And
unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened
all that went out of the gate of his city ; and every
male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate
of his city.
And it came to pass on the third day, when they
were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and
Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and
came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the
edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's
house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon
the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had de-
filed their sister. They took their sheep, and their
oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city,
and that which was in the field, and all their wealth,
and all their little ones, and their wives took they
captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled
me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the
land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and
I being few in number, they shall gather themselves
together against me, and slay me ; and I shall be de-
stroyed, I and my house. And they said. Should he
deal with our sister as with an harlot ?
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el,
[ 100 ]
XXXV] GENESIS
and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God,
that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the
face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his
household, and to all that were with him. Put away
the strange gods that are among you, and be clean,
and change your garments: and let us arise, and go
up to Beth-el ; and I will make there an altar unto
God, who answered me in the day of my distress,
and was with me in the way which I went. And they
gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in
their hand, and all their earrings which were in their
ears ; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was
by Shechem. And they journeyed : and the terror of
God was upon the cities that were round about them,
and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Ca-
naan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were
with him. And he built there an altar, and called the
place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto
him, when he fled from the face of his brother. But
Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried
beneath Beth-el under an oak : and the name of it
was called Allon-bachuth.
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came
out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. And God said
unto him. Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be
[ 101 ]
GENESIS [XXXV
called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name;
aild he called his name Israel. And God said unto
him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply;
a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee,
and kings shall come out of thy loins ; and the land
which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give
it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And
God went up from him in the place where he talked
with him . And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where
he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he
poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil
thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where
God spake with him, Beth-el.
.i And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was
but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel tra-
vailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass,
when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said
unto her, Fear not ; thou shalt have this son also. And
it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, ( for she
died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his fa-
ther called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was
buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pil-
lar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond
the tower of Edar. And it came to pass, when Israel
[ loa ]
XXXVI] GENESIS
dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with
Bilhah his father's concubine : and Israel heard it.
Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of
Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and
Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun : the sons
of Rachel ; Joseph, and Benjamin : and the sons of Bil-
hah, Rachel's handmaid ; Dan, and Naphtali : and the
sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher:
these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him
in Padan-aram.
And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre,
unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abra-
ham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were
an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up
the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his peo-
ple, being old and full of days : and his sons Esau and
Jacob buried him.
Now these are the generations of Esau, who is
Edom. Esau took his wives of the daughters of Ca-
naan ; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aho-
libamahthe daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon
the Hivite; andBashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister
of Nebajoth. And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and
Bashemath bare Reuel ; and Aholibamah bare Jeush,
and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau,
which were born unto him in the land of Canaan. And
[ 103 ]
GENESIS [XXXVI
Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters,
and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and
all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got
in the land of Canaan ; and went into tlie country from
the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were
more than that they might dwell together; and the
land wherein they were strangers could not bear them
because of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount
Seir: Esau is Edom.
And these are the generations of Esau the father
of the Edomites in mount Seir: these are the names
of Esau's sons ; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of
Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.
And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho,
and Gatam, and Kenaz. And Timna was concubine
to Eliphaz Esau's son ; and she bare to Eliphaz Ama-
lek : these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife. And
these are the sons of Reuel ; Nahath, and Zerah,Sham-
mah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath
Esau's wife. And these were the sons of Aholibamah,
the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's
wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and
Korah.
These were dukes of the sons of Esau : the sons
of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau: duke Teman,
duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, duke Korah,
[ 104 ]
I
xxxvi] GENESIS
duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes
that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom ; these were
the sons of Adah.
And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son ; duke
Nahath,duke Zerah,duke Shammah, duke Mizzah:
these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of
Edom ; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.
And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife ;
duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were
the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of
Anah, Esau's wife. These are the sons of Esau, who
is Edom, and these are their dukes.
These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited
the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,
and Dishon, and Ezer , and Dishan : these are the dukes
of the Horites , the children of Seir in the land of Edom .
And the children of Lotan W'cre Hori and Hem am ;
and Lotan's sister was Timna. And the children of
Shobal were these ; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal,
Shepho, and Onam. And these are the children of Zi-
beon ; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that
found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses
of Zibeon his father. And the children of Anah were
these ; Dishon , and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and
Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. The children of
I [ 105 ] d2
GENESIS [XXXVI
Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan. The
children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran. These are
the dukes that came of the Horites ; duke Lotan, duke
Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, duke Dishon, duke
Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of
Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.
And these are the kings that reigned in the land
of Edom, before there reigned any king over the chil-
dren 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
thelandof Temani reigned in his stead. And Husham
died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Mi-
dian 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 Sam-
lah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned
in his stead. And Saul 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 was Pau ; and his wife's name
was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daugh-
ter of Mezahab. And these are the names of the dukes
that came of Esau, according to their families, after
their places, by their names ; duke Timnah, duke Al-
[ 106 J
XXXVII] GENESIS
vah , duke Jetheth, duke Aholibamah, duke Elah , duke
Pinon,duke Kenaz,duke Teman,duke Mibzar,duke
Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom,
according to their habitations in the land of their pos-
session: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.
And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father
was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. These are the
generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years
old, was feeding the flock with his brethren ; and the
lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of
Zilpah, his father's wives : and Joseph brought unto
his father their evil report. 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
colours. And when his brethren saw that their father
loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him,
and could not speak peaceably unto him.
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his
brethren : and they hated him yet the more. And he
said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which
I have dreamed : for, behold, we were binding sheaves
in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood
upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about,
and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren
said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us ? or shalt
thou indeed have dominion over us ? And they hated
[ 107 ]
GENESIS [XXXVII
liim yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it
his brethren, and said, Behold , I have dreamed a dream
more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the
eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it
to his father, and to his brethren: and his father re-
buked him, and said unto him. What is this dream
that thou hast dreamed ? Shall I and thy mother and
thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to
thee to the earth ? And his brethren envied him ; but
his father observed the saying.
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. And he said to him, Here am
I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether
it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks ;
and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the
vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
And a certain man found him, and, behold, he
was wandering in the field: and the man asked him,
saying, What seekest thou.? And he said, I seek my
brethren : tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their
flocks. And the man said, They are departed hence;
for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Jo-
seph went after his brethren, and found them in Do-
[ 108 ]
XXXVII] GENESIS
than. And when they saw him afar off, even before
he came near unto them, they conspired against him
to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold,
this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let
us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will
say, Some evil beast hath devoured him : and we shall
see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben
heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands ; and
said. Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them,
Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the
wilderness, and lay no hand upon him ; that he might
rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his fa-
ther again. j
And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto
his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat,
his coat of many colours that was on him ; and they
took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was
empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down
to eat bread : and they lifted up their eyes and looked,
and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites 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 Ishmeelites, and let not our hand
be upon him ; for he is our brother and our flesh. And
[ 109 ]
GENESIS [XXXVIII
his brethren were content. Then there passed by Mi-
dianites merchantmen ; and they drew and lifted up
Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeel-
ites for twenty pieces of silver : and they brought Jo-
seph into Egypt.
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold,
Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
And he returned unto his brethren, and said. The
child is not; and I, whither shall I go? And they took
Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped
the coat in the blood ; and they sent the coat of many
colours, and they brought it to their father; and said.
This have we found: know now whether it be thy
son's coat or no. And he knew it, and said. It is my
son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph
is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his
clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned
for his son many days. And all his sons and all his
daughters rose up to comfort him ; but he refused to
be comforted; and he said. For I will go down into
the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father
wept for him. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt
unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of
the guard.
And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went
down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain
[ no ]
XXXVIII] gp:nesis
Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw
there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name
was Shuah ; 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
conceived, and bare a son ; and called his name She-
lah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. And
Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name
was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked
in the sight of the Lord ; and the Lord slew him. And
Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife,
and marry 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 that he should
give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did
displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law. Re-
main a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my
son be grown: for he said, Lest perad venture he die
also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt
in her father's house.
And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Ju-
dah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went
up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his
[ 111 ]
GENESIS [xxxvin
friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar,
saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Tim-
nath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's gar-
ments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and
wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is
by the way to Timnath ; for she saw that Shelah was
grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When
Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; be-
cause 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 from the flock. And she said,
Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it.? And
he said. What pledge shall 1 give thee } And she said,
Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is
in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto
her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and
went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put
on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent
the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to
receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he
found her not. Then he asked the men of that place,
saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the
way side.? And they said, There was no harlot in this
[ HO ]
XXXVIII] GENESIS
place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot
find her ; and also the men of the place said, that there
was no harlot in this place. And Judah said, Let her
take it to her, lest we be shamed: 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 also, 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. Dis-
cern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and
bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them,
and said, She hath been more righteous than I; be-
cause that 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,
behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass,
when she travailed, that the one put out his 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, How hast thou bro-
ken forth.? this breach be upon thee: therefore his
name was called Pharez. And afterward came out his
[ 113 ]
GENESIS [XXXIX
brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand:
and his name was called Zarah.
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt ; and Poti-
phar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an
Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeel-
ites, which had brought him down thither. And the
Lord 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 the Lord was with him, and
that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his
h^nd. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he
served him: and hemade himoverseerover his house,
and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came
to pass from the time that he had made him overseer
in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord
blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake ; and
the blessing of the Lord 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 ought he had,
save the bread which he did eat.
And Joseph was a goodly person , and well favoured .
And it came to pass after these things, that his mas-
ter's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said.
Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his mas-
ter's wife. Behold, my master wotteth notwhat is witli
riie in the house, and he hath committed all tliat lie
[ 114 ]
XXXIX] GENESIS
hath to my hand ; there is none greater in this house
than I ; neither hath he kept back any 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
Joseph went into the house to do his business ; and
there was none of the men of the house there within.
And she caught him by his garment, saying, 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 garment with me, and fled, and
got him out. And she laid up his garment by her, until
his lord came home. And she spake unto him accord-
ing to these words, saying. 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 with me, and
fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard
[ 115 ]
GENESIS [XL
the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, say-
ing, 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, a place where the king's
prisoners were bound : and he was there in the prison.
But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him
mercy, 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 any
thing that was under his hand ; because the Lord was
with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it
to prosper.
And it came to pass after these things, that the
butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had of-
fended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was
wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of
the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And
he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the
guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was
bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph
with them , and he served them : and they continued
a season in ward.
And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man
his dream in one night, each man according to the
[ 116 ]
XL] GENESIS
interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker
of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and
looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And
he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the
ward of his lord's house, saying. Wherefore look ye
so sadly to day.? And they said unto him, We have
dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.
And Joseph said unto them. Do not interpretations
belong to God.? tell me them, I pray you. And the
chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him,
In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in
the vine were three branches : and it was as though
it budded, and her blossoms shot forth ; and the clus-
ters thereof brought forth ripe grapes : and Pharaoh's
cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed
them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pha-
raoh's hand. And Joseph said unto him. This is the
interpretation of it: The three branches are three
days: yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift upthine
head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt
deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former
manner when thou wast his butler. But think on me
when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness,
I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto
Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: for indeed
[ 117 ]
GENESIS [xLi
I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews :
and here also have I done nothing that they should
put me into the dungeon. When the chief baker saw
that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph,
I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white
baskets on my head: and in the uppermost basket
there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh ;
and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon
my head. And Joseph answered and said. This is the
interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three
days : yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy
head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree;
and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pha-
raoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his ser-
vants : and he lifted up the head of the chief butler
and of the chief baker among his servants. And he
restored the chief butler unto his butlership again;
and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: but he
hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to
them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph,
but forgat him .
And it came to pass at the end of two full years,
that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the
river. And, behold, there came up out of the river
seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed ; and they
[ 118 ]
XLi] GENESIS
fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came
up after them out of the river, ill favoured and lean-
fleshed ; and stood by the otlier kine upon the brink
of the river. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine
did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So
Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the se-
cond time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up
upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven
thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up
after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the
seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and,
behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the
morning that his spirit was troubled ; and he sent and
called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise
men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream ; but
there was none that could interpret them unto Pha-
raoh.
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying,
I do remember my faults this day : Pharaoh was wroth
with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain
of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we
dreamed each man according to the interpretation of
his dream. And there was therewith us a young man,
an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard ; and
we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams;
[ 119 ]
GENESIS [xLi
to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was ;
me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they
brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he
shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came
in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I
have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can
interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou
canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph
answered Pharaoh, saying. It is not in me: God shall
give Pharaoh an answer of peace. And Pharaoh said
unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the
bank of the river: and, behold, there came up out of
the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured;
and they fed in a meadow: and, behold, seven other
kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured
and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of
Egypt for badness : and the lean and the ill favoured
kine did eat up the first seven fat kine : and when they
had eaten them up, it could not be known that they
had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as
at the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream,
and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and
good: and, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and
blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them : and
[ 120 ]
XLi] GENESIS
the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I
told this unto the magicians ; but there was none that
could declare it to me.
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pha-
raoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is
about to do. The seven good kine are seven years ;
and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream
is one. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that
came up after them are seven years ; and the seven
empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven
years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken
unto Pharaoh : What God is about to do he sheweth
unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of
great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: and
there shall arise after them seven years of famine;
and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of
Egypt ; and the famine shall consume the land ; and
the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason
of that famine following ; for it shall be very griev-
ous. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pha-
raoh twice; it is because the thing is established by
God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now there-
fore 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 officers over the land, and
take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven
[ 121 ]
GENESIS [xLi
plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of
those good years that come, and lay up corn under
the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the
cities. And that food shall be for store to the land
against the seven years of famine, which shall be in
the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through
the famine.
i, And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh,
and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said
unto his servants. Can we find such a one as this is, a
man in whom the Spirit of God is ? And Pharaoh said
unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all
thi^, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
^lou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy
word shall all my people be ruled : only in the throne
will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Jo-
seph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh took off his 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 made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and with-
out thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all
the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name
[ 1^2 ]
XLfj GENESIS
Zaphnath-paaneah ; and he gave him to wife Asenath
the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph
went out over all the land of Egypt.
And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood
before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out
from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout
all 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 ga-
thered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until
he left numbering ; for it was without number. And
unto Joseph were born two sons before the years
of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-
pherah priest of On bare unto him. And Joseph called
the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said
he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my fa-
ther's house. And the name of the second called he
Ephraim : For God hath caused me to be fruitful in
the land of my affli61:ion. itir :
And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in
the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years
of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had
said : and the dearth was in all lands ; but in all the
[ 123 ]
GENESIS [xLii
land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land
of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh
for bread: and Pharaoli 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 Egyp-
tians ; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to
buy corn ; because that the famine was so sore in all
lands.
Now when Jacob sawthat there was corn in Egypt,
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, and not die.
And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn
in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent
not with his brethren ; for he said, Lest peradventure
mischief befall him. And the sons of Israel came to
buy corn among those that came : for the famine was
in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor
over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people
of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed
down themselves before him with their faces to the
earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew
them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake
[ 124 ]
xLii] GENESIS
roughly unto them ; and he said unto them, Whence
come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan
to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they
knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams
which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye
are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are
come. And they said unto him. Nay, my lord, but to
buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's
sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
And he said unto them. Nay, but to see the naked-
ness of the land ye are come. And they said, Thy ser-
vants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in
the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is
this day with our father, and one is not. And Joseph
said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you,
saying. Ye are spies. Hereby ye shall be proved : by
the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, ex-
cept your youngest brother come hither. Send one
of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall
be kept in prison, that your words may be proved,
whether there be any truth in you: or else by the
life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them
all together into ward three days. And Joseph said
unto them the third day. This do, and live ; for I fear
God: if ye be true men, let one of your brethren
be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry
I 1^5 J
GENESIS [xLii
corn for the famine of your houses: but bring your
youngest brother unto me ; so shall your words be
verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty
concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish
of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not
hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And
Reuben answered them, saying. Spake I not unto
you, saying. Do not sin against the child; and ye
would not hear.? therefore, behold, also his blood is
required. And they knew not that Joseph understood
them ; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. And
he turned himself about from them, and wept ; and
returned to them again, and communed with therri^
and took from them Simeon, and bound him before
their eyes.
Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with
corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack,
and to give them provision for the way: and thus
did he unto them. And they laded their asses with
the corn, and departed thence. And as one of therfl
opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn,
he espied his money ; for, behold, it was in his sack^s
mouth. 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 were afraid, saying one
[ 126 ]
XLii] GENESIS
to another, Wiiat is this that God hath done unto us?
And they came unto Jacob their father unto the
land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto
them ; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land,
spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the coun-
try. And we said unto him, We are true men ; we are
no spies: we be twelve brethren, sons of our father;
one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father
in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the
country, said unto us. Hereby shall I know that ye
are true men; leave one of your brethren here with
me, and take food for the famine of your households,
and be gone : and bring your youngest brother unto
me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that
ye are true men : so will I deliver you your brother,
and ye shall traffick in the land.
And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks,
tha:t, behold, every man's bundle of money was in
his sack : and when both they and their father saw
the bundles of money, they were afraid. And Jacob
their father said unto them. Me have ye bereaved of
my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and
ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are
against me. And Reuben spake unto his father, say-
ing. Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee:
deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to
[ 127 ]
GENESIS [xLiii
thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down
with you ; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone :
if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye
go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sor-
row 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 Eg3^pt, their father said unto
them. Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah
spake unto him, saying. The man did solemnly pro-
test unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except
your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our bro-
ther with us, we will go down 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 your brother be with you. And Israel said,
Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the
man whether ye had 3^et a brother.^ And they said,
The man asked us straitly of our state, and of 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 certainly 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 live, and not
die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will
[ 1^8 ]
xLiii] GENESIS
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 for ever: for except
we had lingered, surely now we had returned this
second time. And their father Israel said unto them,
If it must be so now, do this ; take of the best fruits in
the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a
present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and
myrrh, nuts, and almonds: and take double money in
your hand ; and the money that was brought again
in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your
hand; peradventure it was an oversight: take also
your brother, and arise, go again unto the man : and
God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that
he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin.
If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
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
ruler of his house. Bring these men home, and slay,
and make ready ; for these 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 were afraid, because they were brought into
Joseph's house ; and they said. Because of the money
I [ 129 ] E
GENESIS [xLiii
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 communed with him at the door of
the house, and said, O sir, we came indeed down at
the first time to buy food : and it came to pass, when
we came to the inn, 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 hands to buy food : we cannot
tell 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 money. And he brought Simeon out unto
them. 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.
^-^ And vv'hen Joseph came home, they brought him
the present which was in their hand into the house,
and bowed themselves 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 yet alive ?
[ 130 ]
xLiv] GENESIS
And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good
health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their
heads, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes,
and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and
said. Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake
unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee,
my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels 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 went out, and refrained him-
self, and said. Set on bread. And they set on for him
by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the
Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves:
because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the
Hebrews ; for that is an abomination unto the Egyp-
tians. And they sat before him, the firstborn accord-
ing to his birthright, and the youngest according to
his youth : and the men marvelled one at another.
And he took and sent messes unto them from before
him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much
as any of their 's. And they drank, and were merry
with him.
And he commanded the steward of his house, say-
ing. Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they
can carry, and put every man's m_oney in his sack's
mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's
[ 131 ]
GENESIS txLiv
mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. 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 not yet far off, Joseph said unto
his steward. Up, follow after the men ; and when thou
dost overtake them, say unto them. Wherefore have
ye rewarded evil for good ? Is not this it in which my
lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye
have done evil in so doing.
And he overtook them, and he spake unto them
these same words. And they said unto him. Where-
fore saith my lord these words .? God forbid that th}^
servants should do according to this 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 thy lord's house silver
or gold .? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found ,
both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bond-
men. And he said. Now also let it be according unto
your words : he with whom it is found shall be my ser-
vant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they speedily
took down every man his sack to the ground, and
opened every man his sack. And he searched, and be-
gan at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the
cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent
[ 132 ]
XLiv] GENESIS
their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and re-
turned to the city.
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house ;
for 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 ? wot ye not that such a man
as I can certainly 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 in-
iquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's ser-
vants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is
found. And he said, God forbid that I should do so:
but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall
be my servant; and 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 3^e 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 down unto me, that I may set
mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The
[ 133 ]
GENESIS [xLiv
lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his
father, his 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 fa-
ther, we told him the words of my lord. And our
father said, Go again, and 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 saw him not since: and if ye take this
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 I shall bear
the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I
pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a
[ 1^4 ]
XLV] GENESIS
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 perad venture 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
and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said
unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet
live .? And his brethren could not answer him ; for they
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. Now therefore be not
grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me
hither : for God did send me before you to preserve
life. For these two years hath the famine been in the
land: and yet there are five years, in the which there
shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me
before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth,
and to save your lives by a 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 a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
[ 135 ]
GENESIS [XLV
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: comedown 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 chil-
dren's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and
all that thou hast : and there will I nourish thee ; for
yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy
household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my bro-
ther 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 down my father hither. And he fell upon
his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benja-
min wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his
brethren, and wept upon them : and after that his bre-
thren 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 3^e ; lade
your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Ca-
naan ; and take your father and your households, 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.
[ 136 ]
XLV] GENESIS
Now thou art commanded , this do y e ; take you 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 stuff; for the good of all the land
of Egypt is your's. And the children of Israel did so:
and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the com-
mandment 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 meat 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.
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the
land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, and told him,
saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over
all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for
he believed them not. And they told him all the words
of Joseph, which 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.
I [ 137 ] E^
GENESIS [XLvi
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 they took their
cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the
land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all
his seed with him: his sons, and his sons' sons with
him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all
his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
And these are the names of the children of Israel,
which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons.
Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. And the sons of Reu-
ben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and
Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of
a Canaanitish woman.
And the sons of Levi ; Gershon,Kohath,and Merari.
[ l^« ],
XLvi] GENESIS
And the sons of Judah ; Er, and Onan, and Shelah,
and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in
the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were
Hezron and Hamul.
, And the. sons of Issachar ; Tola, and Phuvah, and
Job, and Shimron.
And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and
Jahleel. These be the sons of Leah, which she bare
unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter Din.ah:
all the souls of his sons and his daughters were
thirty and three.
And the sons of Gad ; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni,
and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and
Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons
of Beriah ; Heber, and Malchiel. These are the sons
of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter,
and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.
Tjhe sons of Rachel Jacob's wife ; Joseph, and Benja-
min.
And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born
Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter
pf Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.
. And the sons of Benjamin were Belah,and Becher,
and Ashbel,Gera,and Naaman,Ehi,and Rosh,Mup-
pim, and Huppim, and Ard. These are the sons of
[ 139 ]
GENESIS [xLvi
Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were
fourteen.
And the sons of Dan; Hushim.
And the sons of Naphtali ; Jahzeel, and Guni, and
Jezer, and Shillem. These are the sons of Bilhah,
which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she
bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt,
which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons'
wives, all the souls were threescore and six; and the
sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were
two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which
came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to
dire6l his face 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
presented himself unto him; and he 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, because thou art yet alive. And Joseph said unto
his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up,
and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him. My brethren,
and my father's house, which were in the land of
Canaan, are come unto me; and the men are shep-
herds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle ; and
[ 140 ]
xLvii] GENESIS
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, Thy servants' trade
hath been about cattle from our youth even until now,
both we, and also our fathers : that ye may dwell in
the land of Goshen ; for every shepherd is an abo-
mination unto the Egyptians.
Then Joseph came 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 he took some of his brethren, even five
men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And Pha-
raoh said unto his brethren. What is your occupation ?
And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shep-
herds, both we, and also our fathers. They said more-
over unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we
come; for thy servants have no pasture for their
flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan:
now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell
in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh spake unto Jo-
seph, saying. Thy father and thy brethren are come
unto thee : the land of Egypt is before thee ; in the
best of the land make thy father and brethren to
dwell ; in the land of Goshen let them dwell : and if
[ 141 ]
GENESIS [xLvii
thou knowest any men of activity among them, then
make them rulers over my cattle. And Joseph brought
in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh : and
Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob,
How old art thou ? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The
days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred
and thirty years : few and evil have the days of the
years of my life been, and have not attained unto the
days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days
of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and
went out from before Pharaoh.
And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and
gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the
best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh
had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father,
and his brethren, and all his father's household, with
bread, according to their families.
3 'And there was no bread in all the land ; for the fa-
mine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all
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 Ca-
naan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph
brought the money into Pharaoh's house. And when
money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land
of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and
[ 14^2 ]
XLvii] GENESIS
said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy
presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said.
Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle,
if money fail. And they brought their cattle unto Jo-
seph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for
horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the
herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread
for all their cattle for that year. When that year was
ended, they came unto him the second year, and said
unto him. We will not hide it from my lord, how that
our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of
cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord,
but our bodies, and our lands : wherefore shall we die
before thine eyes, both we and cur larid,^ buy us and
our land for bread, and we and our land will be ser-
vants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may
live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. And
Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh ; for
the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the
famine prevailed over them : so the land became Pha-
raoh's. And as for the people, he removed them to
cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to
the other end thereof. Only the land of the priests
bought he not ; for the priests had a portion assigned
them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pha-
raoh gave them : wherefore they sold not their lands.
[ 143 ]
GENESIS [xLvii
Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have
bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo,
here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And
it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give
the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be
your own, 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 law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pha-
raoh should have the fifth part; except the land of
the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the coun-
try of Goshen ; and they had possessions therein, and
grew, and multiplied exceedingly.
And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen
years : so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred
forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh 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 ; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt :
but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry
me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace.
And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said,
[ 1^^' J
xLviii] GENESIS
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
told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took
with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And
one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph com-
eth unto thee : and Israel strengthened himself, and
sat upon the bed. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God
Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of
Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me. Behold,
I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I
will make of thee a multitude of people ; and will give
this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting pos-
session. And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manas-
seh , which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt
before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as
Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. And thy is-
sue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine,
and shall be called after the name of their brethren
in their inheritance. And as for me, when I came from
Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in
the way, when yet there was but a little way to come
unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of
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
[ 145 ]
GENESIS [xLviii
my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And
he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will
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 shewed me also thy seed.
And Joseph brought them out from between his
knees, and hebowed 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 Ephraim's head, who was the
younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head,
guiding his hands wittingly ; for Manasseh was the
firstborn.
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before
whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the
God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
the Angel which 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:
[ 146 ]
xLix] GENESIS
and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from
Ephraim's head unto ManaSseh'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: but truly his younger brother shall be greater
than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of na-
tions. And he blessed them that day, saying. In thee
shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim
and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Ma-
nasseh. 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 my bow.
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said. Gather
yourselves together, that I may tell you that which
shall befall you in the last days.
Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons
of Jacob;
And hearken unto Israel your father.
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the
beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of
power: i|- .14^ -j
GENESIS [xLix
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel ;
Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed;
Then defiledst thou it : he went up to my couch.
Simeon and Levi are brethren;
Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
0 my soul, come not thou into their secret;
Unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou
united :
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
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,thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise:
Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies ;
Thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
Judah is a lion's whelp:
From the prey, my son, thou art gone up:
He stooped down, he couclied as a lion.
And as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet.
Until Shiloh come;
And unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Binding his foal unto the vine.
And his ass's colt unto the choice vine;
L 148 ]
XLix] GENESIS
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes 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 unto Zidon.
IssACHAR is a strong ass
Couching down between two burdens;
And he saw that rest was good,
And the land that it was pleasant;
And bowed his shoulder to bear,
And became a servant unto tribute.
Dan shall judge his people,
As one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a serpent by the w^ay.
An adder in the path,
That biteth the horse heels,
So that his rider shall fall backward.
I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.
Gad, a troop shall overcome him:
But he shall overcome at the last.
Out of As HER his bread shall be fat.
And he shall yield royal dainties.
Naphtali is a hind let loose:
He giveth goodly words.
[ 1^9 ]
GENESIS [xLix
Joseph is a fruitful hough j..
Even a fruitful hough hy a: well;
Whose branches run over the wall :
The archers have sorely grieved him,
And shot at him, and hated him:
But his bow abode in strength.
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob;
( From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel : )
Even by the God of thy father, who shall helj)
thee ;
And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lieth under.
Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
The blessings of thy father
Have prevailed above the blessings of my proge-
nitors
Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills:
They shall be on the head of Joscpli,
And on the crown of the head of him that was
separate from his brethren.
Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf:
In the morning he shall devour the prey.
And at night he shall divide the spoil.
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this
is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed
[ 150 ]
L]: GENESIS
them ; every one according to his blessing he blessed
them. And he charged them, and said unto them, I
am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with
my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron
the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Mach-
pelah, w^hich is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan,
which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the
Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. There
they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they
buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife ; and there I buried
Leah. The purchase of the field and of the cave that
is therein was from the children of Heth. And when
Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he
gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up tlie
ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept
upon fiim, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded
his servants the physicians to embalm his father : and
the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were
fulfilled for him ; for so are fulfilled the days of those
which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned
for him threescore and ten days. And when tlie days
of his mourning 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 Pha-
raoh, saying. My father made me swear, saying, Lo,
[ 151 ]
GENESIS [L
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 went 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 theirherds, they left in the land of Goshen.
And there went up witli liim botli chariots and horse-
men: and it was a very great company. And they
came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond
Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very
sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his
father seven days. And when the inliabitants of the
land, the Canaanites, sav/ 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-mi zraim, which is beyond Jordan. And his sons
did unto him according as he commanded them : for
his sons carried him into the land of Canaan , and buried
him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which
Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a
[ 152 ]
L] GENESIS
buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his bre-
thren, and all that went up with him to bury his fa-
ther, after he had buried his father.
And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father
was dead, they said, Joseph will perad venture hate
us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we
did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Jo-
seph, saying. Thy father did command before he
died, saying. So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive,
I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and
their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we
pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the
God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake
unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down
before his face ; and they said. Behold, we be thy ser-
vants. And Joseph said unto them. Fear not: for am
I in the place of God ^ But as for you, ye thought evil
against me ; but God meant it unto good, to bring to
pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now
therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your
little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly
unto them.
And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's
house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third ge-
[ 153 ]
GENESIS [L
neration: the children also of Machir the son of Ma-
nasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees. And
Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will
surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto
the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and
to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of
Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall
carry up my bones from hence. So Josepli died, be-
ing an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed
him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
[ 154 ]
THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
EXODUS
NOW these are the names of the children of Is-,
rael, which came into Egypt; every man and
his household came with Jacob. Reuben , Simeon , Levi ,
and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan,
and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. And all the souls that
came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls:
for Joseph was in Egypt already. And Joseph died^
and all his brethren, and all ihat generation.
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and in-
creased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed ex-
ceeding mighty ; and the land was filled with them.
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which
knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Be-^
hold, the people of the children of Israel are more and
mightier than we: come on, let us deal wisely with
them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that,
when there falleth out any war, they join also unto
our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them
up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them
taskmasters to afflicl them with their burdens. And
they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and
Raamses. But the more they afFli6led them, the more
they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved
[ 155 ]
EXODUS [r
because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians
made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: and
they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in
morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in
the field: all their service, wherein they made them
serve, was with rigour.
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew mid-
wives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah,
and the name of the other Puah: and he said. When
ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women,
and see them upon the stools ; if it be a son, then ye
shall kill him : but if it be a daughter, then she shall
live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as
the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the
men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for
the midwives, and said unto them,Why have ye done
this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
And the midwives said unto Ptiaraoh, Because the
Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women ; for
they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives
come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with
the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed
very mighty. And it came to pass, because the mid-
wives feared God, that he made them houses. And
Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son
that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every
[ 156 ]
ri] EXODUS
daughter ye shall save alive.
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and
took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman con-
ceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that
he was a, goodly child, she hid him three months.
And when she could not longer hide him, she took
for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime
and with pitch, and put the child therein ; and she laid
it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood
afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash
herself at the river ; and her maidens walked along by
the river's side ; and when she saw the ark among
the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she
had opened it, she saw the child : and, behold, the babe
wept. And she had compassion on him, and said. This
is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister
to Pharaoh's daughter. Shall I go and call to thee a
nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the
child for thee ? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her,
Go. And the maid went and called the child's mo-
ther. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her. Take
this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give
thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and
nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him
unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son.
[ 1-' ]
EXODUS [II
And she called his name Moses: and she said. Be-
cause I drew him out of the water.
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses
was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and
looked on their burdens : and he spied an Egyptian
smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he
looked this way and that way, and when he saw that
there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid
him in the sand. And when he went out the second
da}^, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove toge-
ther: and he said to him that did the wrong, Where-
fore smitest thou thy fellow .? And he said. Who made
thee a prince and a judge over us ? intendest thou to
kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian ? And Moses
feared, and said. Surely this 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 dovv^n by a
well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daugh-
ters : and they came and drew water, and filled the
troughs to water their father's flock. And the shep-
herds 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 't And they said,
An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the
[ 158 ]
Ill] EXODUS
shepherds, and also drew water enough 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 con-
tent to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses
Zipporah his daughter. x\nd she bare him a son, and
he called his name Gershom^ : for he said, I have been
a stranger in a strange land.
And it came to pass in process of time, that the
king of Egypt died : and the children of Israel sighed
by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their
cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
And God heard their groaning, and God remem-
bered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and
with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of
Israel, and God had respect unto them.
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in
law, the priest of Midian : and he led the flock to the
backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of
God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord ap-
peared unto him 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 now turn aside, and see this great sight,
why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw
that he turned aside to see, God called unto liim out
[ 159 ]
EXODUS [III
of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses.
And he said. Here am I. And he said. Draw not nigh
hither: put off thy shoes from offthy feet, for the place
whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he
said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abra-
ham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And
Moses hid his face ; for he was afraid to look upon
God.
And the Lord said, I have surely seen the afflic-
tion of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard
their cry by reason of their taskmasters ; for I know
their sorrows ; and I am come down to deliver them
out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring 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 Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites,
and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebu-
sites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children
of Israel is come unto me : and I have also seen the
oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pha-
raoh, that thou may est bring forth my people the
children of Israel out of Egypt.
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should
go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the
children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Cer-
[ ]60 ]
Ill] EXODUS
tainly I will be with thee ; and this shall be a token
unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast
brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve
God upon this mountain. And Moses said unto God,
Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and
shall say unto them. The God of your fathers hath
sent me unto you ; and they shall say to me. What
is his name ? what shall I say unto them ? And God
said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said,
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM
hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto
Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Is-
rael, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abra-
ham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath
sent me unto you : this is my name for ever, and this
is my memorial unto all generations. Go, and gather
the elders of Israel together, and say unto them. The
Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of
Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have
surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you
in Egypt: and I have said, I will bring you up out of
the affli6f ion of Egypt unto the land of the Canaan-
ites,and the Hittites,and the Amorites,and the Periz-
zites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land
flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken
to thy voice : and thou shalt come, thou and the elders
I [ 161 ] F
EXODUS [IV
of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say
unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met
with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three
days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sa-
crifice to the Lord our God.
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let
you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch
out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders
which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that
he will let you go. And I will give this people favour
in the siglitof the Egyptians : and it shall come to pass,
that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: but every
woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that
sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels
of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your
sons, and upon your daughters ; and ye shall spoil the
Egyptians.
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they
will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for
they will say. The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.
And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine
hand.? And he said, A rod. And he said. Cast it on
the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it be-
came a serpent ; and Moses fled from before it. And
the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and
take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and
[ 16^ ]
IV] EXODUS
caught it, and it became a rod in his hand : that they
may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
And the Lord said furthermore unto him. Put now
thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into
his bosom : and when he took it out, behold, his hand
was leprous as snow. And he said. Put thine hand
into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his
bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and,
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 believe also 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 the Lord, O my Lord, I am
not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast
spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech,
and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him,
Who hath made man's mouth ? or who maketh the
dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind .^ have not
I the Lord ? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy
[ 163 ]
EXODUS [IV
mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he
said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of
him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the Lord
was kindled against Moses, and he said. Is not Aaron
the Levite thy brother.^ I know that he can speak
well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee :
and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his
mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his
mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he
shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall
be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and
thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt
take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do
signs.
And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father
in law, and said unto him. Let me go, I pray thee,
and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt,
and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said
to Moses, Go in peace. And the Lord said unto Moses
in Midian, Go, return into 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 re-
turned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod
of God in his hand. And the Lord said unto Moses,
When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou
[ liH J
IV] EXODUS
do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have
put in thine hand : but I will harden his heart, that
he shall not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto
Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even
my firstborn: and I say unto thee, Let my son go,
that he may serve me : and if thou refuse to let him
go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the
Lord met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zippo-
rah took a sharp stone, and cut off^'the foreskin of her
son, and cast it at his feet, and said. Surely a bloody
husband art thou to me. So he let him go: then she
said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the cir-
cumcision.
And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilder-
ness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in
the mount of God, and kissed him. And Moses told
Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him,
and all the signs which he had commanded him.
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together
all the elders of the children of Israel : and Aaron spake
all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses,
and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the
people believed : and when they heard that the Lord
had visited the children of Israel, and that he had
looked upon their affli6lion, then they bowed their
[ 165 ]
EXODUS [V
heads and worshipped.
And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told
Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my
people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the
wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that
I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not
the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. And they said,
The God of the Hebrews hath met with us : let us go,
we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert,
and sacrifice unto the Lord our God ; lest he fall upon
us with pestilence, or with the sword. And the king
of Egypt said unto them. Wherefore do ye, Moses
and Aaron, let the people from their works ? get you
unto your burdens. And Pharaoh said. Behold, the
people of the land now are many, and ye make them
rest from their burdens. And Pharaoh commanded
the same day 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 tale of the
bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay
upon them ; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for
they be idle; therefore they cry, saying. Let us go
and sacrifice to our God. Let there more work be laid
upon the men, that they may labour therein ; and let
them not regard vain words.
[ 166 ]
V] EXODUS
And the taskmasters of the people went out, and
their officers, and they spake to the people, saying,
Thus saith Pharaoh,! will not give you straw. Go ye,
get you straw where ye can find it : yet not ought of
your work shall be diminished. So the people were
scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to
gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters
hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily
tasks, as when there was straw. And the officers of
the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters
had set over them, were beaten, and demanded.
Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in mak-
ing brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore.-^
Then the officers of the children of Israel came
and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest
thou thus with thy servants ? 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 do sacrifice to
the Lord. Go therefore now, and work; for there
shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the
tale of bricks. And the officers of the children of Israel
did see that they were in evil case, after it was said.
Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your
daily task.
[ 167 ]
EXODUS [VI
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the
way, as they came forth from Pharaoh : and they said
unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; be-
cause 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 re-
turned unto the Lord, and said. Lord, wherefore hast
thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou
hast sent me ? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak
in thy name, he hath done evil to this people ; neither
hast thou delivered thy people at all.
Then tlie Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou
see what I will do to Pharaoh : for with a strong hand
shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall
he drive them out of his land. And God spake unto
Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: and I ap-
peared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob,
by the name of God Almighty, but by my name
JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have
also established my covenant with them, to give
them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrim-
age, wherein they were strangers. And I have also
heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom
the Egyptians keep in bondage ; and I have remem-
bered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children
of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from
[ l«« ]
VI] EXODUS
under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid
you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with
a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: and
I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to
you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord
your God, which bringeth you out from under the
burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in
unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to
give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob ; and I will
give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel :
but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of
spirit, and for cruel bondage. And the Lord spake
unto Moses, saying. Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king
of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of
his land. And Moses spake before the Lord, saying.
Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened
unto me ; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am
of uncircumcised lips ? And the Lord spake unto Mo-
ses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the
children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt,
to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
These be the heads of their fathers' houses : The
sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and
Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of
Reuben.
1 [ 169 J F^
EXODUS [VI
And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and
Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a
Canaanitish woman : these are the famihes of Simeon.
And these are the names of the sons of Levi ac-
cording to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath,
and Merari : and the years of the life of Levi were an
hundred thirty and seven years. The sons of Ger-
shon; Libni, and Shiini, according to their families.
And the sons of Kohath ; Amram, and Izhar, and He-
bron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath
were an hundred thirty and three years. And the sons
of Merari ; Mahali and Mushi : these are the families
of Levi according to their generations.
And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sis-
ter to wife ; and she bare him Aaron and Moses : and
the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and
thirty and seven years. And the sons of Izhar; Ko-
rah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Uzziel ;
Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. And Aaron took
him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naa-
shon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu,
Eleazar, and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah; Assir,
and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of
the Korhites. And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one
of the daughters of Putiel to wife ; and she bare him
Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the
[ ITO ]
VII] EXODUS
Levites according to their families. These are that
Aaron and Moses, to whom the Lord said, Bring out
the children of Israel from the land of Egypt ac-
cording to their armies. These are they which spake
to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the chil-
dren of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and
Aaron.
And it came to pass on the day when the Lord
spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, that the Lord
spake unto Moses, saying, I am the Lord : speak thou
unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
And Moses said before the Lord, Behold, I am of
uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken
unto me.^
And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made
thee a god to Pharaoh : and Aaron thy brother shall
be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command
thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pha-
raoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his
land. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multi-
ply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may
lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine
armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of
the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the
Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I
[ I'?! ]
EXODUS [VII
stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out
the children of Israel from among them. And Moses
and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did
they. And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron
fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto
Pharaoh.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying. When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying.
Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto
Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and
it shall become a serpent.
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and
they did so as the Lord had commanded : and Aaron
cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his ser-
vants, and it became a serpent. Then Pliaraoh also
called the wise men and the sorcerers : now the ma-
gicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with
their enchantments. For they cast down every man
his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod
swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh's
heart, that he hearkened not unto them ; as the Lord
had said.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart
is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. Get
thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out
[ l^^i ]
VII] EXODUS
unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's
brink against he come ; and tlie rod which was turned
to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. And thou
shalt say unto him , The Lord God of the Hebrews
hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go,
that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, be-
hold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the
Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: be-
hold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand
upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall
be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river
shall die, and the river shall stink ; and the Egyptians
shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron,
Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the wa-
ters of Egypt, upon their streams, uf>on their rivers,
and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of wa-
ter, that they may become blood ; and that there may
be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in
vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. And Moses
and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded ; and he
lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in
the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of
his servants ; and all the waters that were in the river
were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the
river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians
[ l'^^ ]
EXODUS [VIII
could not drink of the water of the river ; and there
was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the
magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments :
and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he
hearken unto them ; as the Lord had said. And Pha-
raoh turned and went into his house, neither did he
set his heart to this also. 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 the Lord had smitten
the river.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pha-
raoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my
people go, that they may serve me. And if thou re-
fuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders
with frogs : and the river shall bring forth frogs abun-
dantly, which shall go up and come into thine 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 kneadingtroughs : and
the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy
people, and upon all thy servants.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron,
Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams,
over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to
come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched
[ 1^^ ]
VIII] EXODUS
out his hand over the waters of Egypt ; and the frogs
came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the ma-
gicians did so with their enchantments, and brought
up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and
saidjintreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs
from me, and from my people ; and I will let the peo-
ple go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord. And
Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me : when shall
I intreat for thee, and for th3^ servants, and for thy
people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses,
that they may remain in the river only ? And he said.
To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word :
that thou mayest know that there is none like unto
the Lord 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 and Aaron went out from Pharaoh :
and Moses cried unto the Lord because of the frogs
which he had brought against Pharaoh. And the Lord
did according to the word of Moses ; and the frogs
died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out
of the fields. And they gathered them together upon
heaps : and the land stank. But when Pharaoh sawthat
there was respite, he hardened his heart, and heark-
ened not unto them ; as the Lord had said.
[ 1T5 ]
EXODUS [VIII
And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron,
Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land,
that it may become lice throughout all the land of
Egypt. And they did so ; for Aaron stretched out his
hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth,
and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust
of the land became lice throughout all the land of
Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchant-
ments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there
were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the ma-
gicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God:
and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he heark-
ened not unto them ; as the Lord had said.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in
the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he Com-
eth forth to the water; and say unto him. Thus saith
the Lord, 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 ser-
vants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and
the 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 the
Lord in the midst of the earth. And I will put a divi-
[ l^(i ]
VIII] EXODUS
sion between my people and thy people : to morrow
shall this sign be. And the Lord did so; and there
came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pha-
raoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the
land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of
the swarm of flies.
And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and
said. Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. And
Moses said, It is not meet so to do ; for we shall sacri-
fice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our
God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the
Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone
us.? We will go three days'journey into the wilder-
ness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall
command us. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go,
that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the
wilderness ; only ye shall not go very far away : in-
treat for me. And Moses said. Behold, I go out from
thee, and I will intreat the Lord that the swarms of
flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and
from his people, to morrow : but let not Pharaoh deal
deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to
sacrifice to the Lord. And Moses went out from Pha-
raoh, and intreated the Lord. And the Lord did ac-
cording to the word of Moses ; and he removed the
swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and
[ 177 ]
EXODUS [IX
from his people ; there remained not one. And Pha-
raoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither
would he let the people go.
Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pha-
raoh, and tell him. Thus saith the Lord 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 the Lord is upon thy cattle
which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses,
upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep:
there shall be a very grievous murrain. And the Lord
shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle
of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is
the children's of Israel. And the Lord appointed a set
time, saying. To morrow the Lord shall do this thing
in the land. And the Lord did that thing on the mor-
row, 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 one of the cattle of
the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was
hardened, and he did not let the people go.
And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron,
Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let
Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of
Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the
land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with
[ 1T« ]
IX] EXODUS
blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the
land of Egypt. And they took ashes of the furnace,
and stood before PJiaraoh ; and Moses sprinkled it up
toward heaven ; and it became a boil breaking forth
with blains upon man, and upon beast. And the ma-
gicians could not stand before Moses because of the
boils ; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon
all the Egyptians. And the Lord hardened the heart
of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the
Lord had spoken unto Moses.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in
the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto
him. Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let
my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at
this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and
upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou
may est know that there is none like me in all the
earth. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may
smite thee and thy people with pestilence ; and thou
shalt be cut off from the earth. And in very deed for
this cause have I raised thee up, for to shewin thee my
power ; and that my name may be declared through-
out all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against
my people, that thou wilt not let them go ? Behold, to
morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very
grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since
[ 1^9 ]
EXODUS [IX
the foundation thereof even until now. Send there-
fore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast
in the field ; for upon every man and beast which shall
be found in the field, and shall not be brought home,
the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall
die. He that feared the word of the Lord among the
servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle
flee into the houses : and he that regarded not the
word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in
the field.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine
hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the
land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon
every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven:
and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran
along upon the ground ; and the Lord rained hail upon
the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled
with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none
like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a na-
tion. And the hail smote throughout all the land of
Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast;
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 Aaron,
[ 1«0 ]
X] EXODUS
and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord
is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Intreat
the Lord ( for it is enough ) that there be no more
mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go,
and ye shall stay no longer. And Moses said unto
him, As soon as I am. gone out of the city, I will spread
abroad my hands unto the Lord ; and the thunder shall
cease, neither shall there be any more hail ; that thou
mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's. But
as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not
yet fear the Lord God. And the flax and the barley
was smitten : for the barley was in the ear, and the
flax was boiled. But the wheat and the rie were not
smitten: for they were not grown up. And Moses
went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad
his hands unto the Lord: 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 the heart
of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the
children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by
Moses.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pha-
raoh : for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of
his servants, that I might shew these my signs before
[ 181 ]
EXODUS [X
him: and that thou may est tell in the ears of thy son,
and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in
Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them ;
that ye may know how that I am the Lord. And Mo-
ses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto
him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How
long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me ?
let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if
thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow
will I bring the locusts into thy coast : and they shall
cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able
to see the earth : 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 they shall fill thy houses, and
the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all
the Egyptians ; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fa-
thers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were
upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself,
and went out from Pharaoh. And Pharaoh's servants
said unto him. How long shall this man be a snare
unto us ^ let die men go, that they may serve the Lord
their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is de-
stroyed ^ And Moses and Aaron were brought again
unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the
Lord your God : but who are they that shall go ? And
[ 18^ ]
X] EXODUS
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 the Lord. And he said unto them,
Let the Lord be so 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 the Lord ;
for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from
Pharaoh's presence.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine
hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they
may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every
herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left. And
Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt,
and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all
that day, and all that night; and when it was morn-
ing, the east wind brought the locusts. And the lo-
custs went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested
in all the coasts of Egypt : very grievous were they ;
before them there were no such locusts as th ey , neither
after them shall be such. For they covered the face
of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened;
and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the
fruit of the trees which the hail had left : and there
remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the
herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
[ l«^ ]
EXODUS [X
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste ;
and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God,
and against you. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee,
my sin only this once, and intreat the Lord your God,
that he may take away from me this death only. And
he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the Lord.
And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind,
which took away the locusts, and cast them into the
Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the
coasts of Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's
heart, so that he would not let the children of Is-
rael go.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine
hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over
the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven ;
and there was a thick darkness in all the land of
Egypt three days: they saw not one another, neither
rose any from his place for three days: but all the
children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said. Go ye,
serve the Lord ; only let your flocks and your herds
be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. And
Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and
burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord
our God. Our cattle also shall go with us ; there shall
[ 184 ]
9f^
z ?
z z
a 2
XI] EXODUS
not an hoof be left behind ; for thereof must we take
to serve the Lord our God ; and we know not with
what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would
not let them go. And Pharaoh said unto him. Get thee
from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more;
for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. And
Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face
again no more.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet Vv^ill I bring
one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt;
afterwards he will let you go hence : when he shall
let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence al-
together. Speak now in the ears of the people, and
let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every
woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels
of gold. And the Lord gave the people favour in the
sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was
very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pha-
raoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. And
Moses said. Thus saith the Lord, About midnight
v/ill I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-
born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even
unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind
the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there
[ 1«5 ]
EXODUS [XII
shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,
such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it
any more. But against any of the children of Israel
shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast:
that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a dif-
ference between the Egyptians 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 a great
anger.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not
hearken unto you ; that my wonders may be multi-
plied in the land of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron
did all these wonders before Pharaoh : and the Lord
hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let
the children of Israel go out of his land.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the
land of Egypt, saying. This month shall be unto you
the beginning of months : it shall be the first month
of the year to you.
Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, say-
ing. In the tenth day of this month they shall take to
them every man a lamb, according to the house of
their fathers, a lamb for an house: and if the house-
hold be too little for the lamb, let him and his neigh-
[ l«6 ]
xir] EXODUS
hour next unto his house take it according to the
number of the souls ; every man according to his eat-
ing shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb
shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye
shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the
same month : and the whole assembly of the congre-
gation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they
shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side
posts and on the upper door post of the houses,
wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh
in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread ;
and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of
it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with
fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance
thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until
the morning ; and that which remaineth of it until the
morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat
it ; wkh your loins girded , your shoes on your feet, and
your staff in your hand ; and ye shall eat it in haste :
it is the Lord's passover.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night,
and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,
both man and beast ; and against all the gods of Egypt
I will executejudgment : I am the Lord. And the blood
shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye
[ 187 ]
EXODUS [XII
are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you,
and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you,
when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall
be unto you for a memorial ; and ye shall keep it a
feast to the Lord throughout your generations ; ye
shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven
days shall ye eat unleavened bread ; even the first day
ye shall put away leaven out of your houses : for who-
soever eateth leavened bread from the first day until
the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
And in the first day there shall be an holy convoca-
tion, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy
convocation to you ; no manner of work shall be done
in them, save that which every man must eat, that
only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the
feast of unleavened bread ; for in this selfsame day
have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt:
therefore shall ye observe this day in your genera-
tions b}^ an ordinance for ever.
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the
month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, un-
til the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your
houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened,
even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation
of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the
[ l«8 ]
XII] EXODUS
land. Ye shall eat nothing leavened ; in all your habi-
tations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and
said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb ac-
cording to your families, and kill the passover. And
ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood
that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two
side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and
none of you shall go out at the door of his house until
the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite
the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon
the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will
pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer
to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye
shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and
to thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when
ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you,
according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this
service. And it shall come to pass, when your chil-
dren shall say unto you, What mean ye by this ser-
vice .? that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's
passover, who passed over the houses of the chil-
dren of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians,
and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the
head and worshipped. And the children of Israel went
away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses
[ l«y ]
EXODUS [XII
and Aaron, so did they.
And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote
all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-
born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-
born 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 Egyptians ;
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 and Aaron by night, and
said. Rise up, and get you forth from among my peo-
ple, both ye and the children of Israel ; and go, serve
the Lord, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and
your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless
me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the
people, that they might send them out of the land in
haste; for they said. We be all dead men. And the
people took their dough before it was leavened, their
kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes up-
on their shoulders. And the children of Israel did ac-
cording to the word of Moses ; and they borrowed of
the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
and raiment: and the Lord gave the people favour in
the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them
such things as they required. And they spoiled the
Egyptians.
[ 190 ]
XII] EXODUS
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses
to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that
were men, beside children. 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 brouglit forth out of Egypt,
for it was not leavened ; because they were thrust out
of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they pre-
pared for themselves any vi6lual.
Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who
dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred
and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to
pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the
land of Egypt. It is a night to be much observed un-
to the Lord for bringing them out from the land of
Egypt : this is that night of the Lord to be observed
of all the children of Israel in their generations.
And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is
the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger
eat thereof: but every man's servant that is bought
for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall
he eat thereof. A foreigner and an hired servant shall
not eat thereof. In one house shall it be eaten ; thou
shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of
the house ; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. All
[ lyi ]
EXODUS [XIII
the congregation of Israel shall keep it. And when a
stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the
passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised,
and then let him come near and keep it ; and he shall
be as one that is born in the land : for no uncircum-
cised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to
him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that
sojourneth among you. Thus did all the children of
Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron,
so did they. And it came to pass the selfsame day,
that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of
the land of Egypt by their armies.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, San6lify
unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the
womb among the children of Israel, both of man and
of beast: it is mine.
And Moses said unto the people. Remember this
day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the
house of bondage ; for by strength of hand the Lord
brought you out from this place : there shall no lea-
vened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the
month Abib.
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into
the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the
Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which
he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flow-
[ 192 j
XIII] EXODUS
ing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this
service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat un-
leavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a
feast to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten
seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be
seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with
thee in all thy quarters.
And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying,
This is done because of that which the Lord did unto
me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be
for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a me-
morial between thine eyes, that the Lord's law may
be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the
Lord brought thee out of Egypt. Thou shalt there-
fore keep this ordinance in his season from year to
year.
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into
the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and
to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, that thou shalt
set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix,
and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou
hast; the males shall be the Lord's. And every first-
ling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb ; and if
thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his
neck : and all the firsrborn of man among thy chil-
dren shalt thou redeem.
I [ 193 ] G
EXODUS [XIII
And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time
to come, saying, What is this ? that thou shalt say unto
him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out
from Egypt, from the house of bondage : and it came
to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that
the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,
both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast:
therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the
matrix, being males ; but all the firstborn of my chil-
dren I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine
hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by
strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of
Egypt-
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the
people go, that God led them not through the way
of the land of the Philistines, although that was near;
for God said. Lest peradventure the people repent
when they see war, and they return to Egypt: but
God led the people about, through the way of the
wilderness of the Red sea : and the children of Israel
went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him : for he had
straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will
surely visit you ; and ye shall carry up my bones away
hence with you.
And they took their journey from Succoth, and en-
[ 194 ]
XIV] EXODUS
camped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And
the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a
cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar
of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
he took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor
the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp
before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over
against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by
the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Is-
rael, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness
hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart,
that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured
upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyp-
tians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people
fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants
was turned against the people, and they said. Why
have we done this, that we have let Israel go from
serving us ? And he made ready his chariot, and took
his people with him : and he took six hundred chosen
chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains
over every one of them. And the Jjord hardened the
heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after
the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went
[ 195 ]
EXODUS [XIV
out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued af-
ter them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and
his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them en-
camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-
zephon.
And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Is-
rael lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians
marched after them ; and they were sore afraid : and
the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. And
they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves
in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wil-
derness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to
carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that
we did tell thee in Egypt, saying. Let us alone, that
we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been 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 the Lord, which he will
shew to you to day : for the Egyptians whom ye have
seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for
ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold
your peace.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest
thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that
they go forward : but lift thou up thy rod, and stretch
[ 196 ]
XIV] EXODUS
out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the
children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the
midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the
hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them:
and I will, get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon
all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord,
when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon
his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
And the angel of God, which went before the camp
of Israel, removed and went behind them ; and the
pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and
stood behind them: and it came between the camp
of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel ; and it was
a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by
night to these : so that the one came not near the other
all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over
the sea ; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by
a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea
dry land, and the waters were divided. And the chil-
dren of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the
dry ground : and the waters were a wall unto them
on their right hand, and on their left.
And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them
to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his
chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that
[ 197 ]
EXODUS [XIV
in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host
of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the
cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and took
off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily :
so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face
of Israel ; for the Lord fighteth for them against the
Egyptians.
(u: And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine
hand over the sea, that the waters may come again
upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon
their horsemen. Aiid Moses stretched forth his hand
over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when
the morning appeared ; and the Egyptians fled against
it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst
of the sea. And the v/aters returned, and covered the
chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pha-
raoh that came into the sea after them ; there remained
not so much as one of them. But the children of Is-
rael walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea ;
and the waters were a wall unto them on their right
hand, and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel
that day out of the hand of the Egyptians ; and Israel
saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Is-
rael saw that great work which the Lord did upon
the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and
believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.
[ l^>> ]
XV] EXODUS
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this
song unto the Lord, and spake, saying,
I WILL sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed
gloriously :
The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the
sea.
The Lord is my strength and song.
And he is become my salvation :
He is my God, and I will prepare him an habita-
tion ;
My father's God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war :
The Lord is his name.
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into
the sea:
His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red
sea.
The depths have covered them:
They sank into the bottom as a stone.
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in
power :
Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the
enemy.
And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast
overthrown them that rose up against thee:
Thou sentest forth thy wrath, v/hich consumed
them as stubble.
[ 199 ]
EXODUS [XV
And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were
gathered together,
The floods stood upright as an heap,
And the depths were congealed in the heart of
the sea.
The enemy said,
I will pursue,! will overtake,! will divide the spoil ;
My lust shall be satisfied upon them;
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered
them:
They sank as lead in the mighty waters.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods.^
Who is like thee, glorious in holiness.
Fearful in praises, doing wonders.?
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which
thou hast redeemed:
Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy
holy habitation.
The people shall hear, and be afraid:
Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Pa-
lestina.
Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed;
The mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take
hold upon them ;
All the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
[ ^00 ]
XV] EXODUS
Fear and dread shall fall upon them;
By the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still
as a stone;
Till thy people pass over, O Lord,
Till the people pass over, which thou hast pur-
chased.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the
mountain of thine inheritance.
In the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for
thee to dwell in,
In the San6luary, O Lord, which thy hands have
established.
The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots
and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord
brought again the waters of the sea upon them ; but
the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst
of the sea.
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron,
took a timbrel in her hand ; and all the women went
out after her with timbrels and with dances.
And Miriam answered them.
Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed glori-
ously ;
The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they
I [ 201 ] g2
EXODUS [XVI
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 the Lord ; and the Lord
shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the
waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made
for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he
proved them, and said, If thou wilt diligently, hearken
to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that
which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his com-
mandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none
of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought
upon the Egyptians : for I am the Lord that healeth
thee.
And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells
of water, and threescore and ten palm trees : aiid they
encamped there by the waters.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the
congregation of the children of Israel came unto the
wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on
the fifteenth day of the second month after their de-
parting out of the land of Egypt. And the whole con-
gregation of the children of Israel murmured against
[ 20^ ]
xvi] EXODUS
Moses and Aaron in the wilderness : and the children
of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died
by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when
we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread
to the full ; for ye have brought us forth into this wil-
derness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain
bread from heaven for you ; and the people shall go
out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may
prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no;
And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they
shall prepare that which they bring in ; and it shall be
twice as much as they gather daily. And Moses and
Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even,
then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you
out from the land of Egypt : and in the morning, then
ye shall see the glory of the Lord ; for that he hear-
eth your murmurings against the Lord : and what are
we, that ye murmur against us ? And Moses said, This
shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the even-
ing flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full ;
for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye
murmur against him: and what are we. ^ your murr-
murings are not against us, but against the Lord.
, And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the
congregation of the children of Israel, Come near
[ WS ]
EXODUS [XVI
before the Lord: for he hath heard your murmur-
ings. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the
whole congregation of the children of Israel, that
they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the
glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I have
heard the murmuringsof the children of Israel: speak
unto them, saying. At even ye shall eat flesh, and in
the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye
shall know that I am the Lord your God. And it came
to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered
the camp : and in the morning the dew lay round
about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone
up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay
a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the
ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they
said one to another. It is manna: for they wist not
what it was. And Moses said unto them. This is the
bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is
the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather
of it every man according to his eating, an omer for
every man, according to the number of your per-
sons ; take ye every man for them which are in his
tents.
And the children of Israel did so, and gathered,
some more, some less. And when they did mete it with
[ J^04 ]
XVI] EXODUS
an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over,
and he that gathered little had no lack ;they gathered
every man according to his eating. And Moses said,
Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstand-
ing they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of
them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms,
and stank : and Moses was wroth with them. And they
gathered it every morning, every man according to
his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they
gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one
man : and all the rulers of the congregation came and
told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which
the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy
sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake
to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which
remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the
morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Mo-
ses bade : and it did not stink , neither was there any
worm therein. And Moses said. Eat that to day; for
to day is a sabbath unto the Lord : to day ye shall not
find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but
on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there
shall be none.
And it came to pass, that there went out some of
the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they
[ 205 ]
EXODUS [XVII
found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long
refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws ?
See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath,
therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread
of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no
man go out of his place on the seventli day. So the
people rested on the seventh day. And the house of
Israel called the name thereof Manna : and it was like
coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like
wafers made with honey.
And Moses said. This is the thing which the Lord
commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your
generations ; that they may see the bread wherewith
I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you
forth from the land of Egypt. And Moses said unto
-Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna
therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for
your generations. As the Lord commanded Moses,
so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years,
until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna,
until they came unto the borders of the land of Ca-
naan. Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
And all the congregation of the children of Israel
journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their jour-
neys, according to the commandment of the Lord,
[ 206 ]
XVII] EXODUS
and pitched in Rephidim : and there was no water for
the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide
with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may
drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with
me .? wherefore doye tempt the Lord ? And the people
thirsted there for water ; and the people murmured
against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou
hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our
children and our cattle with thirst.? And Moses cried
unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this peo-
ple ? they be almost ready to stone me. And the Lord
said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take
with thee of the elders of Israel ; and thy rod, where-
with thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and
go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the
rock in Horeb ; and thou shalt smite the rock , and there
shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
And he called the name of the place Massah,and Me-
ribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel,
and because they tempted the Lord, saying. Is the
Lord among us, or not.'^
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Re-
phidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out
men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I
will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God
I ^07 ]
EXODUS [XVIII
in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him,
and foughtwith Amalek : and Moses, Aaron, and Hur
went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass,
when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed:
and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
But Moses' hands were heavy ; and they took a stone,
and put it under him, and he sat thereon ; and Aaron
and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side,
and the other on the other side ; and his hands were
steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua
discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of
the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this
for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears
of Joshua : for I will utterly put out the remembrance
of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an
altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi : for he
said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will
have war with Amalek from generation to genera-
tion.
When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father
in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and
for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought
Israel out of Egypt; then Jethro, Moses' father in
law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent
her back, and her two sons; of which the name of
the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an
[ ^08 ]
XVIII] EXODUS
alien in a strange land : and the name of the other
was Eliezer ; for the God of my father, said he, was
mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pha-
raoli : and Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his
sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness,
where he encamped at the mount of God : and he said
unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto
thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and
did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each
other of their welfare ; and they came into the tent.
And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord
had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Is-
rael's sake, and all the travail that had come upon
them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.
And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the
Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out
of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed
be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand
of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who
hath delivered the people from under the hand of the
Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than
all gods : for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly
he was above them. And Jethro, Moses' father in law,
took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God : and Aaron
came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread witli
[ 209 ]
EXODUS [XVIII
Moses' father in law before God.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses
sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Mo-
ses from the morning unto the evening. And when
Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the peo-
ple, he said. What is this thing that thou doest to the
people.'^ why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the peo-
ple stand by thee from morning unto even ^ And Mo-
ses said unto his father in law, Because the people
come unto me to enquire of God : when they have a
matter, they come unto me ; and I judge between one
and another, and I do make them know the statutes
of God, and his laws. And Moses' father in law said
unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou
wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that
is with thee : for this thing is too heavy for thee ; thou
art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now
unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall
be with thee: Be thou for the people to God- ward,
that thou may est bring the causes unto God : and thou
shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew
them the way wherein they must walk, and the work
that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide Out
of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of
truth, hating covetousness ; and place such over them,
to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds,
[ 210 ]
XIX] EXODUS
rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens : and let them judge
the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every
great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every
small matter they shall judge : so shall it be easier
for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee
so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this peo-
ple shall also go to their place in peace. So Moses
hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did
all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out
of all Israel, and made them heads over the people,
rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fif-
ties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people
at all seasons : the hard causes they brought unto Mo-
ses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
And Moses let his father in law depart ; and he
went his way into his own land.
In the third month, when the children of Israel
were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same
day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. For they
were departed from Rephidim , and were come to the
desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness ; and
there Israel camped before the mount. And Moses
went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out
of the mountain, saying. Thus shalt thou say to the
house of Jacob , and tell the children of Israel : Ye have
t 211 ]
EXODUS [XIX
seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare
you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and
keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar trea-
sure unto me above all people: for all the earth is
mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests,
and an holy nation. These are the words which thou
shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
And Moses came and called for the elders of the
people, and laid before their faces all these words
which the Lord commanded him. And all the people
answered together, and said. All that the Lord hath
spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words
of the people unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto
Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that
the people may hear when I speak with thee, and be-
lieve thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the
people unto the Lord.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the peo-
ple, and sanftify them to day and to morrow, and let
them wash their clothes, and be ready against the third
day : for the third day the Lord will come down in the
sight of all the people upon mourit Sinai. And thou
shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying.
Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not uj) into the
mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever touch-
[ oio ]
XIX] EXODUS
eth the mount shall be surely put to death : there shall
not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned,
or shot through ; whether it be beast or man, it shall
not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall
come up to the mount.
And Moses went down from the mount unto the
people, and san6lified the people; and they washed
their clothes. And he said unto the people. Be ready
against the third day: come not at your wives.
And it came to pass on the third day in the morn-
ing, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a
thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trum-
pet exceeding loud ; so that all the people that was
in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the
people out of the camp to meet with God ; and they
stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount
Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord
descended upon it in fire : and the smoke thereof as-
cended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole
mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the
trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder,
Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And
the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of
the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top
of the mount ; and Moses went up. And the Lord said
unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they
[ 213 ]
EXODUS [XX
break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of
them perish. And let the priests also, which come near
to the Lord, san6lify themselves, lest the Lord break
forth upon them. And Moses said unto the Lord,
The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou
chargedst us, saying. Set bounds about the mount,
and san6fify it. And the Lord said unto him. Away,
get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and
Aaron witli thee : but let not the priests and the peo-
ple break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he
break forth upon them. So Moses went down unto
the people, and spake unto them.
And God spake all these words, saying,
I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
under the earth : thou shalt not bow down thyself to
them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers up-
on the children unto the third and fourth generation
of them that hate me ; and shewing mercy unto thou-
sands of them that love me, and keep my command-
ments, 3! ,3lqoiiq i/iiJ ^^:xii.:j ^ix ■
[814 ]
XX] EXODUS
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God
in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain. ;:.rv
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six
days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work : but the
seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it
thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor
thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates :
for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh
day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day,
and hallowed it.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days
may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh-
bour.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou
shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manser-
vant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor
any thing that is thy neighbour's.
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the
[ 215 ]
EXODUS [XXI
lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the
mountain smoking : and when the people saw it, they
removed, and stood afar off And they said unto Mo-
ses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not
God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto
the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you,
and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye
sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses
drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt
say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I
have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make
w^ith me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto
you gods of gold.
An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and
shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy
peace offerings, thy sheep,and thineoxen : in all places
where I record my name I will come unto thee, and
I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make me an altar
of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if
thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar,
that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Now these are the judgments which thou shalt
set before them. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six
years he shall serve : and in the seventh he shall go
[ 216 ]
XXI] EXODUS
out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall
go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife
shall go out with him. If his master have given him
a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters ;
the wife and her children shall be her master's, and
he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall
plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my chil-
dren ; I will not go out free : then his master shall
bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him
to the door, or unto the door post; and his master
shall bore his ear through with an aul ; and he shall
serve him for ever.
And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidser-
vant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If
she please not her master, who hath betrothed her
to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell
her unto a strange nation he shall have no power,
seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he
have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with
her after the manner of daughters. If he take him
another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty
of marriage, shall he not diminish. And if he do not
these three unto her, then shall she go out free with-
out money.
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be
surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but
[ 217 ]
EXODUS [XXI
God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint
thee a place whither he shall flee. But if a man come
presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with
guile ; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he
may die.
And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall
be surely put to death.
And he that steal eth a man, and selleth him, or if
he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to
death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall
surely be put to death.
And if men strive together, and one smite another
with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keep-
eth his bed: if he rise again, and walk abroad upon
his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only
he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause
him to be thoroughly healed.
And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with
a rod, and he die under his hand ; he shall be surely
punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or
two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that
her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief fol-
low: he shall be surely punished, according as the
woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall
[ 218 ]
XXI] EXODUS
pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief fol-
low, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye,
tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning
for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
And if a, man smite the eye of his servant, or the
eye of his maid, that it perish ; he shall let him go free
for his eye's sake. And if he smite out his manser-
vant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let
him go free for his tooth's sake.
If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die:
then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall
not be eaten ; but the ov/ner of the ox shall be quit.
But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time
pasc, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he
hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man
or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner
also shall be put to death. If there be laid on him a
sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of
his life whatsoever is laid upon him. Whether he have
gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according
to this judgment shall it be done unto him. If the ox
shall push a manservant or a maidservant ; he shall
give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and
the ox shall be stoned.
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall
dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall
[ 219 ]
EXODUS [xxii
therein ; the owner of the pit shall make it good, and
give money unto the owner of them ; and the dead
beast shall be his.
And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die;
then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money
of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. Or if
it be known that the ox hath used to push in time
past, and his owner hath not kept him in ; he shall
surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it,
or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and
four sheep for a sheep.
If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that
he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. If the
sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for
him ; for he should make full restitution ; if he have
nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If the theft
be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox,
or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be
eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in
another man's field; of the best of his own field,
and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make
restitution.
If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the
stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be
[ 220 ]
XXII] EXODUS
consumed therewith ; he that kindled the fire shall
surely make restitution.
If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money
or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's
house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. If
the thief be not found, then the master of the house
shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he
have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods. For
all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass,
for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing,
which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both
parties shall come before the judges; and whom the
judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his
neighbour. If a man deliver unto his neighbour an
ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and
it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both,
that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's
goods ; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and
he shall not make it good. And if it be stolen from
him, he shall make restitution unto the owner there-
of. If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for
witness, and he shall not make good that which was
torn.
And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and
it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with
[ 221 ]
EXODUS [XXII
it, he shall surely make it good. But if the owner
thereof be with it, he shall not make it good : if it be
an hired thing, it came for his hire. lism £ ti
And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed^
and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his
wife. If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him,
he shall pay mone}^ according to the dowry of virgins.
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put
to death.
He that sacriiiceth unto any god, save unto the
Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress
him : for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Ye shall not affli6l any widow, or fatherless child.
If thou affli6t them in any wise, and they cry at all
unto me, I vAW surely hear their cry; and my wrath
shall wax hot, and I will kill yoii with the sword ; and
your wives shall be widows, and your children fa-
therless.
If thou lend money to any of my people that is
poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer,
neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. If thou at all
take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt
deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: for
that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin :
[ 222 ]
XXIII] EXODUS
wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when
he crieth unto me, that I will hear ; for I am gracious.
Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler
of thy people.
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe
fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons
shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with
thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be
with his dam ; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall
ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field ; ye
shall cast it to the dogs.
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine
hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; nei-
ther shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many
to wrest judgment: neither shalt thou countenance a
poor man in his cause.
If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going
astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under
his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou
shalt surely help with him.
Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in
his cause.
Keep thee far from a false matter ; and the inno-
[ 223 ]
EXODUS [XXIII
cent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not jus-
tify the wicked.
And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth
the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Also thou shalt notoppress a stranger: for ye know
the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in
the land of Egypt. And six years thou shalt sow thy
land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: but the
seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still ; that
the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave
the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou
shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh
day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may
rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger,
may be refreshed. And in all things that I have said
unto you be circumspe6l: and make no mention of
the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out
of thy mouth.
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the
year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread :
(thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I
commanded thee, in the time appointed of the montli
Abib ; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none
shall appear before me empty : ) and the feast of har-
vest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast
|_ 224 ]
XXIII] EXODUS
sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which
is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in
thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year
all thy males shall appear before the Lord God. Thou
shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened
bread ; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain
until the morning. The first of the firstfruits of thy
land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy
God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee
in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I
have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice,
provoke him not; for he will not pardon your trans-
gressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt
indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak ; then
I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an ad-
versary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall
go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites,
and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaan-
ites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut
them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor
serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt
utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their
images. And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and
he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will
take sickness away from the midst of thee.
I [ 225 ] H
EXODUS [XXIV
There shall nothing cast their young, nor be bar-
ren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all
the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make
all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I
will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out
the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from be-
fore thee. I will not drive them out from before thee
in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the
beast of the field multiply against thee. By little and
little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou
be increased, and inherit the land. And I will set tliy
bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the
Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I
will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand ;
and thou shalt drive them out before thee. Thou shalt
make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee
sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will
surely be a snare unto thee.
And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord,
thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of
the elders of Israel ; and worship ye afar oflP. And Mo-
ses alone shall come near the Lord : but they shall not
come nigh ; neither shall the people go up with him.
And Moses came and told the people all the words
[ 5^26 ]
XXIV] EXODUS
of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the peo-
ple answered with one voice, and said. All the words
which the Lord hath said will we do. And Moses
wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in
the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and
twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
And he sent young men of the children of Israel,
which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace
offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses took half
of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the
blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book
of the covenant, and read in the audience of the peo-
ple: and they said. All that the Lord hath said will
we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood,
and sprinkled it on the people, and said. Behold the
blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made
Vv^ith you concerning all these words.
Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and
Abihu, 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 a sapphire stone, and as
it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon
the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his
hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me
into the mount, and be there : and I will give thee
[ 227 ]
EXODUS [XXV
tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which
I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And
Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua : and Moses
went up into the mount of God. And he said unto
the elders. Tarry ye here for us, until we come again
unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you:
if any man have any matters to do, let him come
unto them. And Moses went up into the mount, and
a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the
Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered
it six days : and the seventh day he called unto Mo-
ses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of
the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the
top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat
him up into the mount : and Moses was in the mount
forty days and forty nights.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an
offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with
his heart ye shall take my offering. And this is the
offering which ye shall take of them ; gold, and silver,
and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and
badgers' skins, and shittim wood, oil for the light,
spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, onyx
[ 228 ]
XXV] EXODUS
stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the
breastplate. And let them make me a san6luary ; that
I may dwell among them. According to all that I
shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the
pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall
ye make it.
And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two
cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a
cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and
a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it
with pure gold, within and without shalt thou over-
lay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round
about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it,
and put them in the four corners thereof; and two
rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in
the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of
shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou
shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the
ark, that the ark may be borne with them. The staves
shall be in the rings of the ark : they shall not be taken
from it. And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony
which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy
seat of pure gold : two cubits and a half shall be the
length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth
thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold,
of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends
[ 229 ]
EXODUS [XXV
of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one
end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of
the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the
two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch
forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat
with their wings, and their faces shall look one to
another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of
the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat
above upon the ark ; and in the ark thou shalt put the
testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will
meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from
above the mercy seat, from between the two cheru-
bims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all
things which I will give thee in commandment unto
the children of Israel.
Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood : two
cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the
breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height
thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and
make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou
shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round
about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the
border thereof round about. And thou shalt make for
it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four cor-
ners that are on the four feet thereof. Over against
the border shall the rings be for places of the staves
[ 2J30 ]
XXV] EXODUS
to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of
shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the
table may be borne with them. And thou shalt make
the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers
thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal : of pure
gold shalt thou make them. And thou shalt set upon
the table shewbread before me alway.
And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold:
of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his
shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his
flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall
com-e out of the sides of it ; three branches of the can-
dlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the
candlestick out of the other side : three bowls made
like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one
branch ; and three bowls made like almonds in the
other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the
six branches that come out of the candlestick. And
in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto
almonds, with their knops and their flowers. And
there shall be a knop under two branches of the same,
and a knop under two branches of the same, and a
knop under two branches of the same, according to
the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
Their knops and their branches shall be of the same:
all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. And thou
[ 231 ]
EXODUS [XXVI
shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall
light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over
against it. And the tongs thereof, and the snufFdishes
thereof, shall be of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold
shall he make it, with all these vessels. And look that
thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed
thee in the mount.
Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten
curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple,
and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt
thou make them. The length of one curtain shall be
eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one cur-
tain four cubits : and every one of the curtains shall
have one measure. The five curtains shall be coupled
together one to another; and other five curtains shall
be coupled one to another. And thou shalt make loops
of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the
selvedge in the coupling; and hkewise shalt thou
make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the
coupling of the second. Fifty loops shalt thou make
in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in
the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the
second ; that the loops may take hold one of another.
And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple
the curtains together with the taches : and it shall be
one tabernacle.
[ 232 ]
XXVI] EXODUS
And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a
covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt
thou make. The length of one curtain shall be thirty
cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits : and
the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. And
thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six
curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth
curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. And thou
shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one cur-
tain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops
in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put
thetaches into the loops, and couple the tent together,
that it may be one. And the remnant that remaineth
of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that re-
maineth, shall hang over the backside of the taber-
nacle. And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the
other side of that which remaineth in the length of
the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides
of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to
cover it. And thou shalt make a covering for the tent
of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of
badgers' skins.
And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of
shittim wood standing up. Ten cubits shall be the
length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the
1 [ 233 ] h2
EXODUS [xxvr
breadth of one board. Two tenons shall there be in
one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt
thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. And
thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty
boards on the south side southward. And thou shalt
make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards ;
two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and
two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north
side there shall be twenty boards : and their forty
sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and
two sockets under another board. And for the sides of
the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.
And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of
the tabernacle in the two sides. And they shall be
coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled
together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall
it be for them both ; they shall be for the two cor-
ners. And they shall be eight boards, and their sock-
ets of silver, sixteen sockets ; two sockets under one
board, and two sockets under another board.
And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five
for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, and
five bars for the boards of the other side of the taber-
nacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the
tabernacle, for the two sides westward. And the mid-
[ 234 ]
XXVI] EXODUS
die bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from
end to end. And thou shalt overlay the boards with
gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the
bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. And
thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the
fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.
And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple,
and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work :
with cherubims shall it be made : and thou shalt hang
it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold :
their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets
of silver. ;
And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches,
that thou may est bring in thither within the vail the
ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto
you between the holy place and the most holy. And
thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the
testimony in the m.ost holy place. And thou shalt set
the table without the vail, and the candlestick over
against the table on the side of the tabernacle to-
ward the south : and thou shalt put the table on the
north side. And thou shalt make an hanging for the
door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. And
thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim
wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks
[ 235 J
EXODUS [XXVII
shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of
brass for them.
And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five
cubits long, and five cubits broad ; the altar shall be
foursquare : and the height thereof shall be three cu-
bits. And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the
four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same :
and thou shalt overlay it with brass. And thou shalt
make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels,
and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans:
all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. And
thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass ;
and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in
the four corners thereof. And thou shalt put it under
the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may
be even to the midst of the altar. And thou shalt
make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and
overlay them with brass. And the staves shall be put
into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two
sides of the altar, to bear it. Hollow with boards shalt
thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount,
so shall they make it.
And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle:
for the south side southward there shall be hangings
for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cu-
bits long for one side : and tlie twenty pillars thereof
[ 2J3() ]
XXVII] EXODUS
and their twenty sockets shall be of brass ; the hooks
of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. And
likewise for the north side in length there sliall be
hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty
pillars and their twenty sockets of brass ; the hooks
of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
And for the breadth of the court on the west side
shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and
their sockets ten. And the breadth of the court on the
east side eastward shall be fifty cubits. The hangings
of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits : their
pillars three, and their sockets three. And on the other
side shall be hangings fifteen cubits : their pillars three,
and their sockets three.
And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging
of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and
their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four. All
the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with
silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sock-
ets of brass.
The length of the court shall be an hundred cu-
bits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height
five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of
brass. All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the ser-
vice thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins
[ 237 ]
EXODUS [XXVIII
of the court, shall be of brass.
And thou shalt command the children of Israel,
that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light,
to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle
of the congregation without the vail, which is before
the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from
evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a
statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf
of the children of Israel.
And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and
his sons with him, from among the children of Israel,
that he may minister unto me in the priest's office,
even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar,
Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make holy garments
for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And
thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom
I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may
make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he
may minister unto me in the priest's office. And these
are the garments which they shall make ; a breast-
plate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat,
a mitre, and a girdle : and they shall make holy gar-
ments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he
may minister unto me in the priest's office. And they
shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine linen.
[ 238 ]
XXVIII] EXODUS
And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue,
and of pmrple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with
cunning work. It shall have the two shoulderpieces
thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it
shall be joined together. And the curious girdle of
the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, ac-
cording to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. And
thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them
the names of the children of Israel : six of their names
on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on
the other stone, according to their birth. With the
work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings
of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with
the names of the children of Israel : thou shalt make
them to be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put
th^ two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for
stones of memorial unto the children of Israel : and
Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon
his two shoulders for a memorial. --- ->--
And thou shalt make ouches of gold ; ^nd twd
chains of pure gold at the ends ; of wreathen work
shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains
to the ouches.
And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment
with cunning work ; after the work of the ephod thou
[ 239 ]
EXODUS [XXVIII
shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and
of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make
it. Foursquare it shall be being doubled ; a span shall
be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth
thereof. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones,
. even four rows of stones : the first row shall be a sar-
dius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first
row. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sap-
phire, and a diamond. And the third row a ligure, an
agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl,
and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold
in their inclosings. And the stones shall be with the
names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to
their names, like the engravings of a signet; every
one with his name shall they be according to the
twelve tribes.
And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains
at the ends of wreath en work of pure gold. And thou
shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold,
and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the
breastplate. And thou shalt put the two wreathen
chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends
of the breastplate. And the other two ends of the two
wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches,
and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod
before it.
[ 240 ]
XXVIII] EXODUS
And thou shall make two rings of gold, and thou
shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate
in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod
inward. And two other rings of gold thou shalt make,
and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod un-
derneath, toward the forepart thereof, over against
the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle
of tlie ephod. And they shall bind the breastplate by
the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a
lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle
of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed
from the ephod. And Aaron shall bear the names of
the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment
upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place,
for a memorial before the Lord continually.
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment
the Urim and the Thummim ; and they shall be upon
Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and
Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of
Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.
And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of
blue. And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in
the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven
work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole
of an habergeon, that it be not rent.
And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make
[ 241 ]
EXODUS [xxviir
pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet,
round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold be-
tween them round about: a golden bell and a pome-
granate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, ujx)n the
hem of the robe round about. And it shall be upon
Aaron to minister : and his sound shall be heard when
he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and
when he cometh out, that he die not.
And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and
grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet^ Holi-
ness to the Lord. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace,
that it may be upon the mitre ; upon the forefront of
the miitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's
forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the
holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow
in all their holy gifts ; and it shall be always upon
his forehead, that they may be accepted before the
Lord.
And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen,
and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou
shalt make the girdle of needlev/ork.
And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and
thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt
thou make for them, for glory and for be^uity. And
thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his
sons with him ; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate
[ 212 ]
XXIX] EXODUS
them, and san(^lity them, that they may minister unto
me in the priest's office. And thou shalt make them
linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the
loins even unto the thighs they shall reach : and they
shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they
come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or
when they come near unto the altar to minister in the
holy place ; that they bear not iniquity, and die : it shall
be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.
And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them
to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's
office; Take one young bullock, and two rams with-
out blemish, and unleavened bread, and cakes un-
leavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened
anointed with oil : of wheaten flour shalt thou make
them. And thou shalt put them into one basket, and
bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the
two rams. And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congrega:tion,
and shalt wash them with water. And thou shalt take
the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the
robe of the ephod, and the ephod,and the breastplate,
and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod :
and thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put
the holy crown upon the mitre. Then shalt thou take
the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint
[ 243 ]
EXODUS [XXIX
him. And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon
them. And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron
and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the
priest's office shall be their's for a perpetual statute :
and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. And
thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the
tabernacle of the congregation : and Aaron and his
sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bul-
lock. And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord,
by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And
thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put
it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour
all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. And thou
shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and
the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys,
and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon
the altar. But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin,
and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the
camp: it is a sin offering.
Thou shalt also take one ram ; and Aaron and his
sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his
blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. And
thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards
of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces,
and unto his head. And thou shalt burn the whole ram
[ 244 ]
XXIX] EXODUS
upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord:
it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the
Lord.
And thou shalt take the other ram ; and Aaron and
his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood,
and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and
upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the
thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of
their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar
round about. And thou shalt take of the blood that
is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprin-
kle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon
his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with
him : and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and
his sons, and his sons' garments with him. Also thou
shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the
fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the
liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon
them, and the right shoulder ; for it is a ram of conse-
cration: and one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled
bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unlea-
vened bread that is before the Lord : and thou shalt
put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his
sons ; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before
the Lord. And thou shalt receive them of their hands,
[ 245 ]
EXODUS [XXIX
and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a
sweet savour before the Lord : it is an offering made
by fire unto the Lord. And thou shalt take the breast
of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for
a wave offering before the Lord : and it shall be thy
part. And thou shalt san6lify the breast of the wave
offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which
is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the
consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of
that which is for his sons: and it shall be Aaron's and
his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of
Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an
heave offering from the children of Israel of the sa-
crifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offer-
ing unto the Lord.
And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons'
after him, to be anointed therein, and to be conse-
crated in them. And that son that is priest in his stead
shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into
the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the
holy place.
And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration,
and seethe his fiesh in the holy place. And Aaron and
his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread
that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation. And they shall cat those things
[ 24G ]
XXIX] EXODUS
wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate
and to san61:ify them : but a stranger shall not eat
thereof, because they are holy. And if ought of tlie
flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto
the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with
fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. And thus
shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according
to all things which I have commanded thee: seven
days shalt thou consecrate them. And thou shalt offer
every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement:
and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made
an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanc-
tify it. Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for
the altar, and sanctify it ; and it shall be an altar most
holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the
altar; two lambs of the first year day by day con-
tinually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morn-
ing ; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even : and
v^th the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with
the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil ; and the fourtli
part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. And tlie
otlier lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do
thereto according to the meat offering of the morn-
ing, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a
sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lx)rd.
[ 247 ]
EXODUS [XXX
This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout
your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you,
to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with
the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be
sanctified by my glory. And I will san6lify the taber-
nacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanc-
tify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me
in the priest's office.
And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and
will be their God. And they shall know that I am
the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of
the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them:
I am the Lord their God.
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense up-
on : of shittim wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall
be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof;
foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the
height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top
thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the
horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown
of gold round about. And two golden rings shalt thou
make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners
thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it ;
and they shall be for places for the staves to bear
[ ^-i^ ]
XXX] EXODUS
it withal. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim
wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt
put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testi-
mony, before the mercy seat that is over the testi-
mony, where I will meet with thee. And Aaron shall
burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when
he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon
it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he
shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before
the Lord throughout your generations. Ye shall offer
no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor
meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering
thereon. And Aaron shall make an atonement upon
the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the
sin offering of atonements : once in the year shall he
make atonement upon it throughout your genera-
tions : it is most holy unto the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. When
thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after
their number, then shall they give every man a ran-
som for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest
them; that there be no plague among them, when
thou numberest them. This they shall give, every
one that passeth among them that are numbered,
half a shekel after the shekel of the san6luary: (a
shekel is twenty gerahs: ) an half shekel shall be the
[ 249 ]
EXODUS [XXX
offering of the Lord. Every one that passeth among
them that are numbered, from twenty years old and
above, shall give an offering unto the Lord. The rich
shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less
than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto
the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. And
thou shalt take the atonement money of the children
of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the
tabernacle of the congregation ; that it may be a me-
morial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to
make an atonement for your souls.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thou
shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of
brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between
the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and
thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons
shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: when
they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they
shall wash with water, that they die not; or when
they come near to the altar to minister, to burn of-
fering made by fire unto the Lord : so they shall wash
their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it
shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and
to his seed throughout their generations.
Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure
[ 250 ]
XXX] EXODUS
myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon
half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels,
and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
and of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of
the sanftuar}^ and of oil olive an hin: and thou shalt
make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment com-
pound after the art of the apothecary : it shall be an
holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint the taber-
nacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of
the testimony, and the table and all his vessels, and
the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of in-
cense, and the altar of burnt offering with all his ves-
sels, and the laver and his foot. And thou shalt san6fify
them, that they may be most holy : whatsoever touch-
eth them shall be holy. And thou shalt anoint Aaron
and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may
minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt
speak unto the children of Israel, saying. This shall
be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your
generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured,
neither shall ye make any other like it, after the com-
position of it: it is hol}^ and it shall be holy unto you.
Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever
putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut
oflpfrom his people.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee
[ 251 ]
EXODUS [XXXI
sweet spices, sta6le, and onycha,and galbanum ; these
sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall
there be a like weight: and thou shalt make it a per-
fume, a confe61ion after the art of the apothecary,
tempered together, pure and holy : and thou shalt beat
some of it very small, and put of it before the testi-
mony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where
I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye
shall not make to yourselves according to the com-
position thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the
Lord. Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell
thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. See, I
have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son
of Hur, of the tribe of Judah : and I have filled him
with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understand-
ing, and in knowledge, and in all manner of work-
manship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold,
and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones,
to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all
manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given
with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe
of Dan : and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted
I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have
commanded thee ; the tabernacle of the congregation,
[ 25i2 ]
XXXI] EXODUS
and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that
is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,
and the table and his furniture, and the pure candle-
stick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,
and the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture,
and the laver and his foot, and the cloths of service,
and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the
garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's of-
fice, and the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the
holy place : according to all that I have commanded
thee shall they do.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily
my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between
me and you throughout your generations ; that ye
may know that I am the Lord that doth san6lify you.
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore ; for it is holy
unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be
put to death : for whosoever doeth any work therein,
that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six
days may work be done ; but in the seventh is the
sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord : whosoever doeth
any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put
to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep
the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their
generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign
[ 253 ]
EXODUS [XXXII
between me and the children of Israel for ever : for
in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on
the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an
end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two
tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the
finger of God.
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to
come down out of the mount, the people gathered
themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him.
Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as
for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the
land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And Aaron said unto them. Break off the golden ear-
rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your
sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto
me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings
which were in their ears, and brought them unto
Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fash-
ioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a
molten calf: and they said. These be thy gods, O Is-
rael, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it;
and Aaron made proclamation, and said. To morrow
is a feast to the Lord. And they rose up early on the
morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought
[ 254 ]
xxxii] EXODUS
peace offerings ; and the people sat down to eat and
to drink, and rose up to play.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down ;
for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land
of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have
turned aside quickly out of the way which I com-
manded them : they have made them a molten calf,
and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed there-
unto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which
have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And
the Ix)rd said unto Moses, I have seen this people,
and, behold, it is a stiffiiecked people: now therefore
let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against
them, and that I may consume them : and I will make
of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the Lord
his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax
hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth
out of the land of Egypt wnith great power, and with
a mighty hand.'^ Wherefore should the Egyptians
speak, and say. For mischief did he bring them out,
to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them
from the face of the earth .^ Turn from thy fierce
wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Re-
member Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to
whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto
them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven,
[ 255 ]
EXODUS [XXXII
and all this land that I have spoken of will I give
unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And
the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to
do unto his people.
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount,
and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand :
the tables were Avritten on both their sides ; on the one
side and on the other were they written. And the ta-
bles were the work of God, and the writing was the
writing of God, graven upon the tables. And when
Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted,
he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the
camp. And he said. It is not the voice of them that
shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them
that cry for being overcome : but the noise of them
that sing do I hear.
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto
the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and
Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out
of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. And
he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it
in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it
upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink
of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this peo-
ple unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin
upon them.^ And Aaron said, Let not the anger of
[ ^256 ]
XXXII] EXODUS
my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they
are set on mischief. For they said unto me, Make us
gods, which shall go hefore us: for as for this Mo-
ses, the man that brought us up out of the land of
Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And I said
unto them. Whosoever hath any gold, let them break
it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire,
and there came out this calf.
And when Moses saw that the people were naked ;
( for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame
among their enemies : ) then Moses stood in the gate
of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord'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 the Lord God of Israel, Put every man
his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to
gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his
brother, and every man his companion, and every
man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did ac-
cording to the word of Moses : and there fell of the
people that day about three thousand men. For Mo-
ses had said. Consecrate yourselves to day to the
Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his
brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing
this day.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses
I [ 257 ] I
EXODUS [xxxiii
said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin : and
now I will go up unto the Lord ; peradventure I shall
make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned
unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned
a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet
now, if thou wilt forgive their sin — ; and if not, blot
me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast writ-
ten. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath
sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of
which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel
shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when
I visit I will visit their sin upon them. And the Lord
plagued the people, because they made the calf, which
Aaron made.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up
hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought
up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I
sware unto Abraham, 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-
vite, and the Jebusite: unto a land flowing with milk
and honey : for I will not go up in the midst of thee;
for thou art a stiffiiecked people: lest I consume thee
in the way.
[ 258 ]
XXXIII] EXODUS
And when the people heard these evil tidings, they
mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the chil-
dren of Israel, Ye are a stiffiiecked people : I will come
up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume
thee : therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee,
that I may know what to do unto thee. And the chil-
dren of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments
by the mount Horeb.
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it with-
out the camp, afar ofl^ from the camp, and called it
the Tabernacle of the Congregation. And it came to
pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out
unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was
without the camp. And it came to pass, when Moses
went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose
up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked
after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the taber-
nacle, tlie cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the
door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Mo-
ses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand
at the tabernacle door : and all the people rose up and
worshipped, every m.an in his tent door. And the Lord
spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh
unto liis friend. And he turned again into the camp:
[ 259 ]
EXODUS [XXXIII
but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man,
departed not out of the tabernacle.
And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou say est
unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let
me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou
hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also
found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee,
if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy
way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in
thy sight: and consider that this nation is th}^ people.
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I
will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy pre-
sence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For
wherein shall it be known here that I and thy peo-
ple have found grace in thy sight .^ is it not in that
thou goest with us.? so shall we be separated, I and
thy people, from all the people that are upon the face
of the earth. And the Lord said unto Moses, I will
do this thing also that thou hast spoken : for thou hast
found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass be-
fore thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord
before thee ; and will be gracious to whom I will be
gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew
mercy. And he said, Thou canst not sec my face:
L '260 ]
xxxiv] EXODUS
for there shall no man see nie, and live. And the Lord
said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt
stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while
my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift
of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while
I pass by: and I will take away mine hand, and thou
shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be
seen.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two ta-
bles of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon
these tables the w^ords that were in the first tables,
which thou brakest. And be ready in the morning,
and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and
present thyself there to me in 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 tables of stone like unto the
first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and
went up unto mount Sinai, as the Lord had com-
manded him, and took in his hand the two tables of
stone. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood
with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed.
The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious,
longsufi^ering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
[ 261 ]
EXODUS [XXXIV
keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin, and that will by no means
clear the guilty ; visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children, and upon the children's children,
unto the third and to the fourth generation. And Mo-
ses made haste, and bowed his liead toward the earth,
and worshipped. And he said. If now I have found
grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee,
go among us ; for it is a stiffiiecked people ; and par-
don our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine
inheritance.
And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before
all thy people I will do marvels, such as liave not
been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all
the people among which thou art shall see the work
of the Lord : for it is a terrible thing that I will do
with thee. Observe thou that which I command thee
this day : behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite,
and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite,
and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Take heed to thy-
self, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants
of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare
in the midst of thee : but ye shall destroy their altars,
break their images, and cut down their groves: for
thou shalt worship no other god : for the Lord, whose
name is Jealous, is a jealous God: lest thou make a
[ J262 ]
XXXIV] EXODUS
covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go
a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their
gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice ;
and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and
their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and
make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Thou
shalt make thee no molten gods.
The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep.
Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I com-
manded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in
the month Abib thou earnest out from Egypt. All that
openeth the matrix is mine ; and every firstling among
thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male. But the
firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb:
and if tliou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his
neck. All the firstborn 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 earing time and in harvest thou
shalt rest.
And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the
firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingather-
ing at the year's end.
Thrice in the year shall all your menchildren ap-
pear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. For I
will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy
[ 263 ]
EXODUS [XXXIV
borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when
thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God
thrice in the year. Thou shalt not offer the blood of
my sacrifice with leaven ; neither shall the sacrifice
of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.
The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring
unto the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not
seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
And the Lord 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 the Lord 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.
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from
mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Mo-
ses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that
Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while
he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the chil-
dren of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face
shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And
Moses called unto them ; and Aaron and all the rulers
of the congregation returned unto him : and Moses
talked with them. And afterward all the children of Is-
rael came nigh : and he gave them in commandment
[ '264> ]
XXXV] EXODUS
all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put
a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the
Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he
came out. And he came out, and spake unto the chil-
dren of Israel that which he was commanded. And
the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the
skin of Moses' face shone : and Moses put the vail up-
on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
And Moses gathered all the congregation of the
children of Israel together, and said unto them, These
are the words which the Lord hath commanded, that
ye should do them. Six days shall work be done, but
on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day,
a sabbath of rest to the Lord : whosoever doeth work
therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire
throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the
children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the
Lord commanded, saying. Take ye from among you
an offering unto the Lord : whosoever is of a willing
heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord ; gold,
and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scar-
let, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins
dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, and
oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for
I [ S65 1 1 2
EXODUS [XXXV
the sweet incense, and onyx stones, and stones to be
set for the ephod, and for the breastplate. And every
wise liearted among you shall come, and make all
that the Lord hath commanded; the tabernacle, his
tent, and his covering, his caches, and his boards, his
bars, his pillars, and his sockets ; the ark, and the staves
thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the co-
vering; the table, and his staves, and all his vessels,
and the shewbread ; the candlestick also for the light,
and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the
light; and the incense altar, and his staves, and the
anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hang-
ing for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle ;
the altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his
staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot; the
hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets,
and the hanging for the door of the court ; the pins
of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their
cords ; the cloths of service, to do service in the holy
place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and
the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's
office.
And all the congregation of the children of Israel
departed from the presence of Moses. And they came,
every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one
whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the
[ 260 ]
XXXV] EXODUS
Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy
garments. And they came, both men and women, as
many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets,
and earrings, and rings, and tablets,all jewels of gold:
and every man that offered offered an offering of
gold unto the Lord. And every man, with whom was
found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen,
and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers'
skins, brought them. Every one that did offer an of-
fering of silver and brass brought the Lord's offer-
ing: and every man, with whom was found shittim
wood for any work of the service, brought it. And
all the women, that were wise hearted did spin with
their hands, and brought that which they had spun,
both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine
linen. And all the w^omen whose heart stirred them
up in wisdom spun goats' hair. And the rulers brought
onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and
for the breastplate; and spice, and oil for the light,
and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto
the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made
them willing to bring for all manner of work, which
the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of
Moses.
[ 267 ]
EXODUS [XXXVI
And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See,
the Lord hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri,
the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah ; and he hath
filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in un-
derstanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of
workmanship; and to devise curious works, to work
in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in the cutting
of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make
any manner of cunning work. And he hath put in his
heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the
son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. Them hath
he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner
of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning work-
man, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple,
in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even
of them that do an}^ work, and of those that devise
cunning work.
Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every
wise hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and
understanding to know how to work all manner of
work for the service of tlie san6luary, according to
all that the Lord had commanded. And Moses called
Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man,
in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every
one whose heart stirred him upto come unto the work
to do it: and they received of Moses all tlie offering,
[ 268 ]
XXXVI] EXODUS
which the children of Israel had brought for the work
of the service of the san6tuary, to make it withal.
And they brought yet unto him free offerings every
morning. And all the wise men, that wrought all the
work of the san6iuary, came every man from his
work which they made.
And they spake unto Moses, saying. The people
bring much more than enough for the service of
the work, which the Ix)rd commanded to make. And
Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be
proclaimed throughout the camp, saying. Let neither
man nor woman make any more Vv^ork for the offer-
ing of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained
from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient
.for all the work to make it, and too much.
And every wise hearted man among them that
wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten cur-
tains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and
scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he
them. The length of one curtain was twenty and eight
cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the
curtains were all of one size. And he coupled the five
curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains
he coupled one unto another. And he made loops of
blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge
in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost
[ 269 ]
EXODUS [XXXVI
side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops
made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the
coupling of the second : the loops held one curtain to
another. And he made fifty taches of gold, and cou-
pled the curtains one unto another with the taches:
so it became one tabernacle.
And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent
over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.
The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four
cubits was the breadth of one curtain : the eleven cur-
tains were of one size. And he coupled five curtains
by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. And
he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the
curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon
the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent
together, that it might be one. And he made a co-
vering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a
covering of badgers' skins above that.
And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim
wood, standing up. The length of a board was ten
cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a
half. One board had two tenons, equally distant one
from another: thus did he make for all the boards
of the tabernacle. And he made boards for the taber-
[ J27() ]
XXXVI] EXODUS
nacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:
and forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty
boards ; two sockets under one board for his two te-
nons, and two sockets under another board for his
two tenons. And for the other side of the tabernacle,
which is tow ird the north corner, he made twenty
boards, and their forty sockets of silver; two sock-
ets under one board, and two sockets under another
board. And for the sides of the tabernacle westward
he made six boards. And two boards made he for
the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. And
they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at
the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both
of them in both the corners. And there were eight
boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of
silver, under every board two sockets.
And he made bars of shittim wood ; five for the
boards of the one side of the tabernacle, and five bars
for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and
five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides
westward. And he made the middle bar to shoot
through the boards from the one end to the other.
And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their
rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid
the bars with gold.
And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet,
[ 2^1 ]
EXODUS [XXXVII
and fine twined linen : with cherubims made he it of
cunning work. And he made thereunto four pillars
of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their
hooks were of gold ; and he cast for them four sock-
ets of silver.
And he made an hanging for the tal ernacle door
of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen,
of needlework ; and the five pillars of it with their
hooks : and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets
with gold : but their five sockets were of brass.
And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two
cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and
a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the
height of it: and he overlaid it with pure gold within
and without, and made a crown of gold to it round
about. And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set
by the four corners of it ; even two rings upon the
one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of
it. And he made staves of shittim wood, and over-
laid them with gold. And he put the staves into the
rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two
cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one
cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And he made
two clierubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made
he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; one
[ ^7a ]
xxxvii] EXODUS
cherub on tlie end on this side, and another cherub
on the other end on that side : out of tlie rnercy seat
made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And
the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and
covered with their wings over tlie mercy seat, with
their faces one to another; even to the mercy seat-
ward were the faces of the cherubims.
And he made the table of shittim wood : two cubits
was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth there-
of, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: and
he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a
crown of gold round about. Also he made thereunto
a border of an handbreadth round about : and made
a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the
rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet
thereof. Over against the border were the rings, the
places for the staves to bear the table. And he made
the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with
gold, to bear the table. And he made the vessels which
were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and
his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure
gold.
And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of
beaten work made he the candlestick ; his shaft, and
his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers,
[ 273 ]
EXODUS [XXXVII
were of the same: and six branches going out of the
sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out
of the one side thereof, and three branches of the
candlestick out of the other side thereof: three bowls
made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a
knop and a flower; and three bowls made like al-
monds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so
throughout the six branches going out of the candle-
stick. And in the candlestick were four bowls made
like almonds, his knops, and his flowers: and a knop
under two branches of the same, and a knop under
two branches of the same, and a knop under two
branches of the same, according to the six branches
going out of it. Their knops and their branches were
of the same : all of it was one beaten work of pure
gold. And he made his seven lamps, and his snuf-
fers, and his snufFdishes, of pure gold. Of a talent of
pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
And he made the incense altar of shittim wood : the
length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cu-
bit ; it was foursquare ; and two cubits was the height
of it ; the horns thereof were of the same. And he
overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the
sides thereof round about, and the horns of it : also
he made unto it a crown of gold round about. And he
made two rings of gold for it under the crown there-
[ 274 ]
xxxviii] EXODUS
of, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides there-
of, to be places for the staves to bear it withal. And
he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid
them with gold.
And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure
incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the
apothecary.
And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim
wood : five cubits was the length thereof, and five cu-
bits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare ; and three
cubits the height thereof. And he made the horns
thereof on the four corners of it ; the horns thereof
were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass. And
he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the
shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the
firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
And he made for the altar a brasen grate of net-
work under the compass thereof beneath unto the
midst of it. And he cast four rings for the four ends
of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.
And he made the staves of shittim wood, and over-
laid them with brass. And he put the staves into the
rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal ; he
made the altar hollow with boards.
And he made the laver of brass, and the foot
of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women
[ 275 ]
EXODUS [XXXVIII
assembling, which assembled at the door of the ta-
bernacle of the congregation.
And he made the court : on the south side south-
ward the hangings of the court were of fine twined
linen, an hundred cubits: their pillars were twenty,
and their brasen sockets twenty ; the hooks of the pil-
lars and their fillets were of silver. And for the north
side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pil-
lars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty ;
the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver. And
for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their
pillars ten, and their sockets ten ; the hooks of the
pillars and their fillets of silver. And for the east side
eastward fifty cubits. The hangings of the one side of
the gate were fifteen cubits ; their pillars three, and
their sockets three. And for the other side of the court
gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of
fifteen cubits ; their pillars three, and their sockets
three. All the hangings of the court round about were
of fine twined linen. And the sockets for the pillars
were of brass ; the hooks of the pillars and their fil-
lets of silver ; and the overlaying of their chapiters
of silver ; and all the pillars of the court were filleted
with silver. And the hanging for the gate of tl le court
was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen : and twenty cubits was the lengthy
[ 5276 ]
XXXVIII] EXODUS
and the height in the breadth was five cubits, an-
swerable to the hangings of the court. And their pil-
lars were four, and their sockets of brass four ; their
hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters
and their fillets of silver. And all the pins of the ta-
bernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the ta-
bernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according
to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the
Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the
priest. And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur,
of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord com-
manded Moses. And with him was Aholiab, son of
Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a
cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and
in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen. All the gold
that was occupied for the work in all the work of the
holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty
and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty she-
kels, after the shekel of the san6luary. And the sil-
ver of them that were numbered of the congregation
was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hun-
dred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the she-
kel of the san6fuary : a bekah for every man, that is,
half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for
every one that went to be numbered, from twenty
[ ^^^ ]
EXODUS [XXXIX
years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and
three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. And
of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sock-
ets of the san6luary, and the sockets of the vail ; an
hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a
socket. And of the thousand seven hundred seventy
and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and
overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them. And the
brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two
thousand and four hundred shekels. And therewith he
made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen
grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar, and the
sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of
the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and
all the pins of the court round about.
And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made
cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and
made the holy garments for Aaron ; as the Lord com-
manded Moses. And he made the ephod of gold,
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut
it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the pur-
ple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with
cunning work. They made shoulderpieces for it, to
couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled
[ ^<8 ]
XXXIX] EXODUS
together. And the curious girdle of his ephod, that
was upon it, was of the same, according to the work
thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen ; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches
of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names
of the children of Israel. And he put them on the
shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones
for a memorial to the children of Israel ; as the Lord
commanded Moses.
And he made the breastplate of cunning work,
like the work of the ephod ; of gold, blue, and purple,
and scarlet, and fine twined linen. It was foursquare ;
they made the breastplate double: a span was the
length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being
doubled. And they set in it four rows of stones: the
first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this
was the first row. And the second row, an emerald, a
sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row, a ligure,
an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row, a
beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in
ouches of gold in their inclosings. And the stones
were according to the names of the children of Israel,
twelve, according to their names, like the engravings
of a signet, every one with his name, according to
the twelve tribes. And they made upon the breast-
[ 279 ]
EXODUS [XXXIX
plate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure
gold. And they made two ouches of gold, and two
gold rings ; and put the two rings in the two ends of
the breastplate. And they put the two wreathen chains
of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breast-
plate. And the two ends of the two wreathen chains
they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the
shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it. And they made
two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of
the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on
the side of the ephod inward. And they made two
other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of
the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over
against the other coupling thereof, above the curious
girdle of the ephod. And they did bind the breast-
plate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a
lace of blue, that it might be above the curious gir-
dle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not
be loosed from the ephod ; as the Lord commanded
Moses.
And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work,
all of blue. And there was an hole in the midst of the
robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round
about the hole, that it should not rend. And they made
upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen. And tliey
[ ;i8() I
XXXIX] EXODUS
made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between
the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round
about between the pomegranates ; a bell and a pome-
granate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the
hem of the robe to minister in; as the Lx)rd com-
manded Moses.
And they made coats of fine linen of woven work
for Aaron, and for his sons, and a mitre of fine linen,
and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches
of fine twined linen, and a girdle of fine twined linen,
and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework ; as
the Lord commanded Moses.
And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure
gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engrav-
ings of a signet. Holiness to the Lord. And they tied
unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the
mitre; as the Lord commanded Moses.
Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent
of the congregation finished : and the children of Is-
rael did according to all that the Lord commanded
Moses, so did they.
And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the
tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his
bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, and the cover-
ing of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badg-
ers' skins, and the vail of the covering, the ark of the
L J^81 ]
EXODUS [XL
testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,
the table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shev^-
bread, the pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof,
even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the
vessels thereof, and the oil for light, and the golden
altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense,
and the hanging for the tabernacle door, the brasen
altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his
vessels, the laver and his foot, the hangings of the
court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for
the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the ves-
sels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of
the congregation, the cloths of service to do service
in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron
the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the
priest's office. According to all that the Lord com-
manded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the
work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and,
behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded,
even so had they done it : and Moses blessed them.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, On the
first day of the first month shalt thou set up the ta-
bernacle of the tent of the congregation. And thou
shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover
the ark with the vail. And thou shalt bring in the ta-
ble, and set in order the things that are to be set in
[ '2H'2 ]
XL] EXODUS
order upon it ; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick,
and light the lamps thereof. And thou shalt set the
altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testi-
mony, and put the hanging of the door to the taber-
nacle. And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering
before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the
congregation. And thou shalt set the laver between
the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt
put water therein. And thou shalt set up the court
round about, and hang up the hanging at the court
gate. And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint
the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hal-
low it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.
And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering,
and all his vessels, and san61:ify the altar: and it shall
be an altar most holy. And thou shalt anoint the laver
and his foot, and san6fify it. And thou shalt bring
Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation, and wash them_ with water. And
thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and
anoint him, and san6lify him; that he may minister
unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt bring
his sons, and clothe them with coats: and thou shalt
anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that
they may minister unto me in the priest's office : for
their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priest-
[ 283 ]
EXODUS [XL
hood throughout their generations. Thus did Moses:
according to all that the Lord commanded him, so
did he.
And it came to pass in the first month in the se-
cond year, on the first day of the month, that tlie
tabernacle was reared up. And Moses reared up the
tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the
boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared
up his pillars. And he spread abroad the tent over
the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above
upon it; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And he took and put the testimony into the ark,
and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat
above upon the ark : and he brought the ark into the
tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and
covered the ark of the testimony ; as the Lord com-
manded Moses.
And he put the table in the tent of the congrega-
tion, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, with-
out the vail. And he set the bread in order upon it
before the Lord ; as the Lord had commanded Moses.
And he put the candlestick in the tent of the con-
gregation, over against the table, on the side of the
tabernacle southward. And he lighted the lamps be-
fore the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And he put the golden altar in the tent of the
[ 528-i ]
XL] EXODUS
congregation before tlie vail : and lie burnt sweet in-
cense tbereon; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And he set up the hanging at the door of the ta-
bernacle. And he put the altar of burnt offering by the
door of tlie tabernacle of the tent of the congrega-
tion, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the
meat offering ; as the Lord commanded Moses.
And he set the laver between the tent of the con-
gregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash
withal. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed
their hands and their feet thereat: when they went
into the tent of the congregation, and when they came
near unto the altar, they washed ; as the Lord com-
manded Moses. And he reared up the court round
about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the
hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the
work.
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congrega-
tion, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the
congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and
the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And when
the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the
children of Israel went onward in all their journeys :
but if the cloud were not taken up, then they jour-
neyed not till the day that it w^as taken up. F^or the
[ 285 ]
EXODUS [XL
cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day,
and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the
house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
[ 286 ]
THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
LEVITICUS
4 ND the Lord called unto Moses, and spake un-
xX to him out of the tabernacle of the congrega-
tion, saying. Speak unto the children of Lsrael, and
say unto them. If any man of you bring an offering
unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the
cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. If his of-
fering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer
a male without blemish : he shall offer it of his own
voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the con-
gregation before the Lord. And he shall put his hand
upon the head of the burnt offering ; and it shall be
accepted for him to make atonement for him. And he
shall kill the bullock before the Lord : and the priests,
Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the
blood round about upon the altar that is by the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall
flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. And
the sons of Aaron the priest shall put lire upon the
altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: and
the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head,
and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the
fire which is upon the altar: but his inwards and his
legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn
[ 287 ]
LEVITICUS [I
all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering
made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the
sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall
bring it a male without blemish. And he shall kill it
on the side of the altar northward before the Lord :
and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood
round about upon the altar. And he shall cut it into
his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest
shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the
fire which is upon the altar: but he shall wash the
inwards and the legs with water : and the priest shall
bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt
sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour
unto the Lord.
And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the
Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of
turtledoves, or of young pigeons. And the priest shall
bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and
burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be
wrung out at the side of the altar : and he shall pluck
away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the
altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: and
he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall
not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon
the altar, u])on the wood that is upon the fire: it is
L -88 ]
II] LEVITICUS
a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet
savour unto the Lord.
And when any will offer a meat offering unto the
Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall
pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon : and
he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he
shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof,
and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense there-
of; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon
the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet
savour unto the Lord: and the remnant of the meat
offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing
most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.
And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering
baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of
fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers
anointed with oil.
And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a
pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with
oil. Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon :
it is a meat offering.
And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the
fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. And
thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of
these things unto the Lord : and when it is presented
unto the priest, be shall bring it unto the altar. And
I [ i^8y ] K
LEVITICUS [III
the priest shall take from the meat offering a memo-
rial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the
Lord. And that which is left of the meat offering shall
be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of
the offerings of the Lord made by fire. No meat of-
fering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be
made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor
any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire.
As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer
them unto the Lord : but they shall not be burnt on
the altar for a sweet savour. And every oblation of
thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt ; neither
shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God
to be lacking from thy meat offering : with all thine of-
ferings thou shalt offer salt. And if thou offer a meat
offering of thy firstfruits unto the Lord, thou shalt of-
fer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears
of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full
ears. And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frank-
incense thereon: it is a meat offering. And the priest
shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn
thereof, and part of the oil tliereof, with all tlie frank-
incense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto
the Lord.
And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering,
[ 290 ]
Ill] LEVITICUS
if he offer it of the herd ; wliether it he a male or
female, he shall offer it without hlemish before the
Lord. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his
offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall
sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. And
he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering
an offering made by fire unto the Lord ; the fat that
covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the
inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on
them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above tlie
liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. And
Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt
sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire :
it is an offering made by fife, of a sweet savovir unto
the Lord.
And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offer-
ing unto the Lord be of the flock ; male or female, he
shall offer it without blemish. If he offer a lamb for
his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his of-
fering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the con-
gregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood
thereof round about upon the altar. And he shall offer
of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made
by fire unto the Lord ; the fat thereof, and the whole
[ 291 ]
LEVITICUS [IV
rump, it shall he take off hard by tlie backbone ; and
the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that
is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the
fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the
caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take
away. And the priest shall burn it upon the altar : it
is the food of the offering made by iire unto the
Lord.
And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer
it before the Lord. And he shall lay his hand upon
the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the
congregation : and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle
the blood thereof upon the altar round about. And he
shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made
by fire unto the Lord ; the fat that covereth the in-
wards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and
the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which
is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with
the kidneys, it shall he take away. And the priest
shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the
offering made by fire for a sweet savour : all the fat
is the Lord's. It shall be a perpetual statute for your
generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye
eat neither fat nor blood.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying. If a soul shall sin
I 29i2 I
IV] LEVITICUS
through ignorance against any of the commandments
of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be
done, and shall do against any of them: if the priest
that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the
people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath
sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the
Lord for a sin offering. x\nd he shall bring the bul-
lock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congre-
gation before the Lord ; and shall lay his hand upon
the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the
Lord. And the priest that is anointed shall take of
the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of
the congregation : and the priest shall dip his finger
in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times
before the Lord, before the vail of the san6f uary. And
the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns
of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which
is in the tabernacle of the congregation ; and shall
pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of tlie
altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall take
off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offer-
ing ; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat
that is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys, and
the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and
the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he
[ aO'i ]
LEVITICUS [IV
take away, as it was taken off from the bullock of the
sacrifice of peace offerings : and the priest shall burn
them upon the altar of the burnt offering. And the
skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head,
and "with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, even
the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the
camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured
out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the
ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through
ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the
assembly, and they have done somewhat against any
of the commandments of the Lord concerning things
which should not be done, and are guilty; when the
sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then
the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the
sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the con-
gregation. And the elders of the congregation shall
lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before
the Lord : and the bullock shall be killed before the
Lord. And the priest that is anointed shall bring of
the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congre-
gation : and the priest shall dip his finger in some of
the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord,
even before the vail. And he shall put some of the
blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the
[ 294 ]
IV] LEVITICUS
Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation,
and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the
altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall take
all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar. And
he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bul-
lock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and
the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it
shall be forgiven them. And he shall carry forth the
bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned
the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congre-
gation.
When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat
through ignorance against any of the commandments
of the Lord his God concerning things which should
not be done, and is guilty; or if his sin, wherein he
hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring
his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blem-
ish : and he shall lay his hand upon the head of the
goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt
offering before the Lord: it is a sin offering. And the
priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with
his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of
burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bot-
tom of the altar of burnt offering. And he shall burn
all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of
[ 21)o ]
LEVITICUS [IV
peace offerings : and the priest sliall make an atone-
ment for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be
forgiven him.
And if any one of the common people sin through
ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of
the commandments of the Lord concerning things
which ought not to be done, and be guilty ; or if his
sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge:
then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats,
a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath
sinned. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of
the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place
of the burnt offering. And the priest shall take of
the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the
horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour
out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat
is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings ;
and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet
savour unto the Lord; and the priest shall make an
atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. And
if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring
it a female without blemish. And he shall lay his hand
upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin
offering in the place where they kill the burnt offer-
ing. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin
I 2<)(i I
V] LEVITICUS
offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns
of the altar of hurnt offering, and shall pour out all
the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: and he
shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the
lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace
offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the
altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto
the Lord: and the priest shall make an atonement
for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be for-
given him.
And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing,
and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of
it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be
a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean
cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and
if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean,
and guilty. Or if he touch the uncleanness of man,
whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be de-
filed withal, and it be hid from him ; when he knoweth
of it, then he shall be guilty. Or if a soul swear, pro-
nouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, what-
soever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath,
and it be hid from him ; when he knoweth of it, tfien
he shall be guilty in one of these. And it shall be,
when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that
I [ 297 ] k2
LEVITICUS [V
he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing : and
he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for
his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock,
a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and
the priest shall make an atonement for him concern-
ing his sin.
And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall
bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord ;
one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt of-
fering. And he shall bring them unto the priest, who
shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and
wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide
it asunder: and he shall sprinkle of the blood of the
sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of
the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the
altar: it is a sin offering. And he shall offer the second
for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and
the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin
which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or
two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring
for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour
for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neitlier
shall he put any frankincense thereon : for it is a sin
offering. Then shall he bring it to the ])riest, and the
[ 298 ]
V] I LEVITICUS
priest shall take his handtul of it, even a memorial
thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the of-
ferings made by fire unto the Lord : it is a sin offer-
ing. And the priest shall make an atonement for
him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of
these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant
shall be the priest's, as a meat offering.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul
commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the
holy things of the Lord ; then he shall bring for his
trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of
the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver,
after the shekel of the san6luary,for a trespass offer-
ing : and he shall make amends for the harm that he
hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth
part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest
shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the
trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things
which are forbidden to be done by the command-
ments of the Lord ; though he wist it not, yet is he
guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. And he shall bring
a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy esti-
mation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and
the priest shall make an atonement for him concern-
ing his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not,
[ iiini J
LEVITICUS [VI
and it shall be forgiven him. It is a trespass offering:
he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul
sin, and commit a trespass against the I^rd, and lie
unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to
keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by
violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; or have
found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and
sweareth falsely ; in any of all these that a man do-
eth, sinning therein: then it shall be, because he hath
sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which
he took violently away, or the thing which he hath
deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him
to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or all that
about which he hath sworn falsely ; he shall even re-
store it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part
more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it apper-
taineth, in the day of his trespass offering. And he
shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, a ram
without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation,
for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest
shall make an atonement for him before the Lord:
and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that
he hath done in trespassing therein.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Com-
mand Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of
[ aoo ]
VI] LEVITICUS
the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because
of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morn-
ing, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
And the priest shall put on liis linen garment, and
his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and
take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with
the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them
beside the altar. And he shall put off his garments,
and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes
without the camp unto a clean place. And the fire
upon the altar shall be burning in it ; it shall not be
put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every
morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it;
and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offer-
ings. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar;
it shall never go out.
And this is the law of the meat offering : the sons
of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the
altar. And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour
of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all
the frankincense which is upon the meat offering,
and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour,
even the memorial of it, unto the Lord. And the re-
mainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with
unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place ;
in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they
[ 301 ]
LEVITICUS [VI
shall eat it. It shall not be baken with leaven. I have
given it unto them for their portion of my offerings
made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering,
and as the trespass offering. All the males among
the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a
statute for ever in your generations concerning the
offerings of the Lord made by fire : every one that
toucheth them shall be holy.
S- And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. This is
the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall
offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed ;
the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat of-
fering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half
thereof at night. In a pan it shall be made with oil;
and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the
baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for
a sweet savour unto the Lord. And the priest of his
sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is
a statute for ever unto the Lord ; it shall be wholly
burnt. For every meat offering for the priest shall be
wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law
of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt of-
fering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before
the Lord: it is most holy. The priest that offereth it
[ 'M)^2 ]
-vn] LEVITICUS
for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten,
in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be
holy : and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof
upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it
was sprinkled in the holy place. But the earthen ves-
sel wherein it is sodden shall be broken : and if it be
sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and
rinsed in w^ater. All the males among the priests
shall eat thereof: it is most holy. And no sin offer-
ing, wliereof any of the blood is brought into the ta-
bernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in
the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the
fire.
Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering:
it is most holy. In the place where they kill the burnt
offering shall they kill the trespass offering : and the
blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon
the altar. And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof;
the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and
the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which
is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver,
with the kidneys, it shall he take away: and the
priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering
made by fire unto the Lord : it is a trespass offering.
Every male among the priests shall eat thereof:
[ 808 ]
LEVITICUS [VII
it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy. As
the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering: there
is one law for them: the priest that maketh atone-
ment therewith shall have it. And the priest that
offereth any man's burnt offering, even the priest
shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering
which he hath offered. And all the meat offering that
is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the
fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that
offereth it. And every meat offering, mingled with
oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as
much as another.
And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offer-
ings, which he shall offer unto the Lord. If he offer it
for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacri-
fice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with
oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and
cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. Besides the
cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread
with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offer-
ings. And of it he shall offer one out of the whole
oblation for an heave offering unto the Lord, and it
shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the
peace offerings. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his
peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the
same day that it is offered ; he shall not leave any of
[ ^^^ J
VII] LEVITICUS
it until the morning. But if the sacrifice of his offer-
ing be a vow, or a vokintary offering, it shall be eaten
the same day that he offereth his sacrifice : and on the
morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten : but
the remainder of the f^esh of the sacrifice on the third
day shall be burnt with fire. And if any of the fiesli
of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all
on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall
it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an
abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear
his iniquity. And the flesh that toucheth any unclean
thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire:
and as for the fiesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.
But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice
of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having
his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut
off from his people. Moreover the soul that shall touch
any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any
unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and
eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings,
which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be
cut off from his people.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying. Ye shall eat no
manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. And the
fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that
[ 305 ]
LEVITICUS [vir
which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other
use : but ye shall in no wise eat of it. For whosoever
eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an of-
fering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that
eateth it shall be cut off from his people. Moreover
ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of
fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whatso-
ever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even
that soul shall be cut off from his people.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the cliildren of Israel, saying. He that ofFereth
the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the Lord shall
bring his oblation unto the Lord of the sacrifice of
his peace offerings. His own hands shall bring the
offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the
breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved
for a wave offering before the Lord. And the priest
shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall
be Aaron's and his sons'. And the right shoulder
shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of
the sacrifices of your peace offerings. He among the
sons of Aaron, that offeretli the blood of tlie peace
offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for
his part. For the wave breast and the heave shoulder
have I taken of the children of Israel from off the
sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given
[ S()(> ]
VIII] LEVITICUS
them unto Aaron tlie priest and unto liis sons by a
statute for ever from among the children of Israel.
This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and
of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of
the Lord made by fire, in the day when he presented
them to minister unto the Lord in the priest's office ;
which the Lord commanded to be given them of the
children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them,
by a statute for ever throughout their generations.
This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat of-
fering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass
offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice
of the peace offerings ; which the Lord commanded
Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded
the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the
Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Take
Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and
the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering,
and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;
and gather thou all the congregation together unto
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And
Moses did as the Lord commanded him ; and the as-
sembly was gathered together unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. And Moses said unto
the congregation. This is the thing which the Lord
[ -307 ]
LEVITICUS [VIII
commanded to be done. And Moses brought Aaron
and his sons, and washed them with water. And he
put upon him the coat, and girded him with the gir-
dle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod
upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle
of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And
he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the
breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. And he put
the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even
upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the
holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses. And
Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the taber-
nacle and all that was therein, and san61:ified them.
And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times,
and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the
laver and his foot, to san6lify them. And he poured
of the anointing oil upon i\aron's head, and anointed
him, to san6lify him. And Moses brought Aaron's
sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with
girdles, and put bonnets upon them ; as the Lord com-
manded Moses. And he brought the bullock for tlie
sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands
upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering. And
he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon
the horns of the altar round about witli liis finger, and
purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bot-
[ 'M)H ]
VIII] LEVITICUS
torn of the altar, and san6lified it, to make reconcilia-
tion upon it. And he took all the fat that was upon
the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two
kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the
altar. But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his
dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the
Jjord commanded Moses.
And he brought the ram for the burnt offering:
and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head
of the ram. And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled
the blood upon the altar round about. And he cut the
ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the
pieces, and the fat. And he washed the inwards and
the legs in water ; and Moses burnt the whole ram
upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet
savour, and an offering made by fire unto the Lord ;
as the Lord commanded Moses.
And he brought the other ram, the ram of conse-
cration : and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon
the head of the ram. And he slew it; and Moses took
of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's
right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and
upon the great toe of his right foot. And he brought
Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the
tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their
right hands, and upon the great toes of their right
[ 5309 ]
LEVITICUS [VIII
feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar
round about. And he took the fat, and the rump, and
all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul
above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat,
and the right shoulder : and out of the basket of un-
leavened bread, that was before the Lord, he took
one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and
one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the
right shoulder: and he put all upon Aaron's hands,
and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave
offering before the Lord. And Moses took them from
off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the
burnt offering : they were consecrations for a sweet
savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave
offering before the Lord : for of the ram of consecra-
tion it was Moses' part; as the Lord commanded Mo-
ses. And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the
blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon
Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons,
and upon his sons' garments with him; and san6ti-
fied Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his
sons' garments with him.
And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil
the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the con-
gregation : and there eat it with the bread that is in
L '^10 ]
IX] LEVITICUS
the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying,
Aaron and his sons shall eat it. And that which re-
niaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn
with lire. And ye shall not go out of the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until
the days of your consecration be at an end : for seven
days shall he consecrate you. As he hath done this
day,sotheLx)rd hath commanded to do, to make an
atonement for you. Therefore shall ye abide at the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and
night seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord,
that ye die not: for so I am commanded. So Aaron
and his sons did all things which the Lord commanded
by the hand of Moses.
And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Mo-
ses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Is-
rael ; and he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf
for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, with-
out blemish, and offer them before the Lord. And
unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying.
Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering ; and a
calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without ble-
mish, for a burnt offering; also a bullock and a ram
for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord; and
a meat offering mingled with oil : for to day the Lord
will appear unto you.
[ ^11 ]
LEVITICUS [IX
And they brought that which Moses commanded
before the tabernacle of the congregation : and all the
congregation drew near and stood before the Lord.
And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord
commanded that ye should do : and the glory of the
Lord shall appear unto you. And Moses said unto
Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering,
and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for
thyself, and for the people : and offer the offering of
the people, and make an atonement for them ; as the
Lord commanded.
Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the
calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. And
the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him : and
he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the
horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the
bottom of the altar: but the fat, and the kidneys, and
the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt
upon the altar; as the Lord commanded Moses, And
the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the
camp. And he slew the burnt offering ; and Aaron's
sons presented unto him the blood, which besprinkled
round about upon the altar. And they presented the
burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and
the head: and he burnt them upon the altar. And he
did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them
[ 315^ J
IX] LEVITICUS
upon the burnt offering on the altar.
And he brouglit the people's offering, and took
the goat, which was the sin offering for the people,
and slew it, and ofi^ered it for sin, as the first. And
he brought the burnt offering, and offered it accord-
ing to the manner. And he brought the meat offer-
ing, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it u])on
the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice
of peace offerings, which was for the people: and
Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he
sprinkled upon the altar round about, and the fat of
the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which
covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul
above the liver : and they put the fat upon the breasts,
and he burnt the fat upon the altar : and the breasts
and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave of-
fering before the Lord; as Moses commanded. And
Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed
them, and came down from offering of the sin offer-
ing, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings. And
Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the con-
gregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and
the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people.
And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and
consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the
[ 3i;3 ]
LEVITICUS [X
fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and
fell on their faces.
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took
either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and
put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before
the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there
went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and
they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto
Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will
be san6lified in them that come nigh me, and before
all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his
peace. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the
sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them.
Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanc-
tuary out of the camp. So they went near, and car-
ried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses
had said. And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Elea-
zar and unto Ithamar, his sons. Uncover not your
heads, neither rend your clothes ; lest ye die, and lest
wrath come upon all the people: but let your bre-
thren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning
which the Ix)rd hath kindled. And ye shall not go
out from the door of the tabernacle of the congre-
gation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord
is upon you. And they did according to the word of
Moses. ;. iKAjw
[ 314 ]
X] LEVITICUS
And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not
drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with
thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congrega-
tion, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever through-
out your generations: and that ye may put difference
between holy and unholy, and between unclean and
clean ; and that ye may teach the children of Israel
all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them
by the hand of Moses.
And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar
and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the
meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the
Lord made by 'fire, and eat it without leaven beside
the altar: for it is most holy: and ye shall eat it in
the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons'
due, of the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire: for
so I am commanded. And the wave breast and heave
shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place ; thou, and thy
sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy
due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the
sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they
bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to
wave it for a wave offering before the Lord ; and it
shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute
for ever; as the Lord hath commanded.
L '^^-^ ]
LEVITICUS [XI
And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin
offering, and, behold, it was burnt : and he was angry
with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which
were left alive, saying. Wherefore have ye not eaten
the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most
holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity
of the congregation, to make atonement for them be-
fore the Lord ? Behold, the blood of it was not brought
in within the holy place : ye should indeed have eaten
it in the holy place, as I comm.anded. And Aaron said
unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their
sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord ;
and such things have befallen me : and if I had eaten
the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted
in the sight of the Lord ? And when Moses heard that,
he was content.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron,
saying unto them. Speak unto the children of Israel,
saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eatamong
all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever part-
eth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the
cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Neverthe-
less these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud,
or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because
he clieweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is
unclean unto you. And the coney, because he cliew-
[ ^Hi ]
XI] LEVITICUS
eth the cud, hut divideth not the hoof; he is unclean
unto you. x-\nd the hare, hecause he cheweth thxC cud,
but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And
the swine, thouo:h he divide the hoof, and be cloven-
footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to
you. Of their flesh sliall ye not eat, and their carcase
shall ye not touch ; they are unclean to you.
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters :
whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the
seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all
that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the
rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any liv-
ing thing which is in the waters, they shall be an
abomination unto you : they shall be even an abomi-
nation unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but
ye shall have their carcases in abomination. What-
soever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that
shall be an abomination unto you.
And these are they which ye shall have in abo-
mination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten,
they are an abomination : the eagle, and the ossifrage,
and the ospray, and the vulture, and the kite after
his kind; every raven after his kind; and the ow^l,
and the night haw^k, and the cuckow, and the hawk
after his kind, and the little owl, and the cormorant,
and the great owl, and the swan, and the pelican,
[ 317 ]
LEVITICUS [XI
and the gier eagle, and the stork, the heron after her
kind, and the lapwing, and the hat. All fowls that
creep, going , upon all four, shall be an abomina-
tion unto you. Yet these may ye eat of every flying
creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have
legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the eartli ;
even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his
kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle
after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
But all other flying creeping things, which have four
feet, shall be an abomination unto you. And for these
ye shall be unclean : whosoever toucheth the carcase
of them shall be unclean until the even. And who-
soever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall
wash his clothes, and be unclean until tlie even. The
carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and
is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean
unto you : every one that touclieth them shall be un-
clean. And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among
all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are
unclean unto you : whoso toucheth their carcase shall
be unclean until the even. And he that beareth the
carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be un-
clean until the even: they are unclean unto you. z
These also shall be unclean unto you among the
creeping things that creep upon the earth; the wea-
[ -^I'S ]
XI] LEVITICUS
sel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
and tlie ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard,
and the snail, and the mole. These are unclean to
vou among all that creep: whosoever doth touch
them, when the}^ be dead, shall be unclean until the
even. And upon whatsoever any of them, when they
are dead, doth fall, it sliall be unclean; whether it
be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack,
whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it
must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until
the even; so it shall be cleansed. And every earthen
vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is
in it shall be unclean ; and ye shall break it. Of all
meat which may be eaten, that on which such water
Cometh shall be unclean : and all drink that may be
drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. And
every thing whereupon any })art of their carcase fall-
eth shall be unclean ; whether it be oven, or ranges
for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are un-
clean, and shall be unclean unto you. Nevertheless
a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water,
shall be clean : but that which toucheth their carcase
shall be unclean. And if any part of their carcase fall
upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall
be clean. But if any water be put upon the seed, and
any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be un-
[ ^ly ]
LEVITICUS [XI
clean unto you. And if any beast, of which ye may
eat, die ; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall
be unclean until the even. And he that eateth of the
carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean
until the even : he also that beareth the carcase of it
shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the
earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever
goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet
among all creeping things that creep upon the earth,
them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any
creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make
yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be de-
filed thereby. For I am the Lord your God : ye shall
therefore san6fify yourselves, and ye shall be holy;
for I am holy : neither shall ye defile yourselves witli
any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the
earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out
of the land of Egypt, to be your God : ye shall there-
fore be holy, for I am holy.
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and
of every living creature that moveth in the waters,
and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth :
to make a difference between the unclean and the
[ i520 ]
XII] LEVITICUS
clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and
the beast that may not be eaten.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying. If a woman have
conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall
be unclean seven days ; according to the days of the
separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And
in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be
circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood
of her purifying three and thirty days ; she shall touch
no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until
the days of her purifying be fulfilled. But if she bear
a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks,
as in her separation: and she shall continue in the
blood of her purifying threescore and six days. And
when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a
son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the
first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or
a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: who
shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atone-
ment for her; and she shall be cleansed from the
isswe of her blood. This is the law for her that hath
born a male or a female. And if she be not able to
bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two
young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and
I [ 321 ] L
LEVITICUS [XIII
the other for a sin offering : and the priest shall make
an atonement for her, and she shall be clean. ' ■
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, say-
ing, When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh
a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin
of his flesh like the plague of leprosy ; then he shall
be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of
his sons the priests : and the priest shall look on the
plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair
in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight
be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of
leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pro-
nounce him unclean. If the bright spot be white in the
skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the
skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then
the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven
days: and the priest shall look on him the seventh
day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a
stay, and the plague spread not in the skin ; then the
priest shall shut him up seven days more: and the
priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and,
behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the
plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pro-
nounce him clean : it is but a scab : and he shall wash
his clothes, and be clean. But if the scab spread much
abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of
[ 322 ]
mm LEVITICUS
the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the
priest again: and if the priest see that, behold, the
scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pro-
nounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.
• When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he
shall be brought unto the priest ; and the priest shall
see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the
skin; and it have turned the hair white, and there be
quick raw flesh in the rising ; it is an old leprosy in
the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce
him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is un-
clean. And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin,
and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath
the plague from his head even to his foot, whereso-
ever the priest looketh; then the priest shall con-
sider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all
his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the
plague: it is all turned white: he is clean. But when
raw flesh appeareth in him , he shall be unclean. And
the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him
to be unclean : for the raw flesh is unclean : it is a le-
prosy. Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed
unto white, he shall come unto the priest; and the
priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be
turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce
him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
[ 323 ]
LEVITICUS [XIII
The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof,
was a boil, and is healed, and in the place of the boil
there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and
somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;
and if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight
lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned
white ; the priest shall pronounce him unclean : it is a
plague of leprosy broken out of the boil. But if the
priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs
therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be
somewhat dark ; then the priest shall shut him up
seven days: and if it spread much abroad in the skin,
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean : it is a
plague. But if the bright spot stay in his place, and
spread not, it is a burning boil ; and the priest shall
pronounce him clean.
Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there
is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burnetii
have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;
then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the
hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in
sight deeper than the skin ; it is a leprosy broken out
of the burning : wherefore the priest shall pronounce
him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy. But if the
priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair
in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other
[ ;324. ]
XIII] LEVITICUS
skin, but be somewhat dark ; then the priest shall shut
liim up seven days: and the priest sliall look upon
him the seventh day : and if it be spread much abroad
in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him un-
clean: it is the plague of leprosy. And if the bright
spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but
it be somewhat dark ; it is a rising of the burning, and
the priest shall pronounce him clean : for it is an in-
flammation of the burning.
If a man or woman have a plague upon the head
or the beard ; then the priest shall see the plague :
and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin ; and
there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall
pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a le-
prosy upon the head or beard. And if the priest look
on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in
sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black
hair in it ; then the priest shall shut up him that hath
the plague of the scall seven days : and in the seventh
day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold,
if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow
hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the
skin; he shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not
shave ; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the
scall seven days more: and in the seventh day the
priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall
[ 325 ]
LEVITICUS [XIII
be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than
the skin ; then the priest shall pronounce him clean :
and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. But if the
scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing ; then
the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall
be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yel-
low hair; he is unclean. But if the scall be in his sight
at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up there-
in ; the scall is healed, he is clean : and the priest shall
pronounce him clean.
If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their
flesh bright spots, even white bright spots ; then the
priest shall look : and, behold, if the bright spots in
the skin of their flesh be darkish white ; it is a freckled
spot that groweth in the skin ; he is clean. And the
man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet
is. he clean. And he that hath his hair fallen off from
the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead
bald : yet is he clean. And if there be in the bald head,
or bald forehead, a white reddish sore ; it is a leprosy
sprung upin liis bald head, or his bald forehead. Then
the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising
of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in
his;bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin
of the flesh; he is a leprous man, he is unclean: the
priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean ; his plague
[ imi ]
XIII] LEVITICUS
is in his head. And the leper in whom the plague is,
his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he
shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry,
Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague
shall be in him he shall be defiled ; he is unclean : he
shall dwell alone ; without the camp shall his habi-
tation be,
9c The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in,
whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment ;
whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of
woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made
of skin ; and if the plague be greenish or reddish in
the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or
in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague
of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest: and
the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it
that hath the plague seven days: and he shall look
on the plague on the seventh day : if the plague be
spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the
woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of
skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
He shall therefore burn that garment, w^hether warp
or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin,
wherein the plague is : for it is a fretting leprosy ; it
shall be burnt in the fire. And if the priest shall look,
and, behold, the plague be not spread in the gar-
[ 327 ]
LEVITICUS [XIV
ment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any
thing of skin; then the priest shall command that
they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he
shall shut it up seven days more : and the priest shall
look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, be-
hold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and
the plague be not spread ; it is unclean ; thou shalt
burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be
bare within or without. And if the priest look, and,
behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the wash-
ing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment,
or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the
woof: and if it appear still in the garment, either in
the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin ; it is
a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the
plague is with fire. And the garment, either warp, or
woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou
shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them,
then it shall be washed the second time, and shall
be clean. This is the law of the plague of leprosy in
a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp,
or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean,
or to pronounce it unclean.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. This
shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleans-
ing: He shall be brought unto the priest: and the
[ ;j!28 J
XIV] LEVITICUS
priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest
shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be
healed in the leper; then shall the priest command
to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive
and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
and the priest shall command that one of the birds
be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
as for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar
wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip
them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that
was killed over the running water : and he shall sprin-
kle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy
seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall
let the living bird loose into the open field. And he
that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and
shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that
he may be clean : and after that he shall come into
the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven
days. But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall
shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his
eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and
he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh
in water, and he shall be clean. And on the eighth
day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and
one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and
three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering,
I [ 329 ] l2
LEVITICUS [XIV
mingled with oil, and one log of oil. And the priest
that maketh him clean shall present the man that is
to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord,
at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
and the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him
for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave
them for a wave offering before the Lord: and he
shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill
the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy
place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the
trespass offering : it is most holy : and the priest shall
take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and
the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of
him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of
his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right
foot: and the priest shall take some of the log of oil,
and pour it into the palm of his own left hand : and
the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is
in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his
finger seven times before the Lord : and of the rest of
the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the
tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and
upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great
toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass
offering: and the remnant of the oil that is in the
priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that
[ 350 ]
XIV] LEVITICUS
is to be cleansed : and the priest shall make an atone-
ment for him before the Lord. And the priest shall
offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him
that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and after-
ward he shall kill the burnt offering : and the priest
shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering
upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atone-
ment for him, and he shall be clean. And if he be
poor, and cannot get so much ; then he shall take one
lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make
an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour
mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil ;
and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as
he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering,
and the other a burnt offering. And he shall bring
them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the
priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congre-
gation, before the Lord. And the priest shall take the
lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and
the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before
the Lord : and he shall kill the lamb of the trespass
offering, and the priest ^hall take some of the blood
of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of
the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and uj)on
the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe
of his right foot: and the priest shall pour of the oil
[ 331 ]
LEVITICUS [XIV
into the palm of his own left hand : and the priest
shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil
that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord :
and the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand
upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be
cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and
upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place
of the blood of the trespass offering : and the rest of
the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon
the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an
atonement for him before the Lord. And he shall offer
the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons,
such as he can get; even such as he is able to get,
the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt
offering, with the meat offering : and the priest shall
make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed
before the Lord. This is the law of him in whom is
the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get
that which pertaineth to his cleansing.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying, When ye be come into the land of Canaan,
which I give to you for a possession, and I put the
plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your pos-
session; and he that owneth the house shall come
and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is
as it were a plague in the house: then the priest shall
[ J53Ji ]
XIV] LEVITICUS
command that they empty the house, before the priest
go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house
be not made unclean : and afterward the priest shall
go in to see the house: and he shall look on the
plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of
the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish,
\vhich in sight are lower than the wall ; then the priest
shall go out of the house to the door of the house,
and shut up the house seven days: and the priest
shall come again the seventh day, and shall look :
and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of
the house ; then the priest shall command that they
take away the stones in which the plague is, and they
shall cast them into an unclean place without the city :
and he shall cause the house to be scraped within
round about, and they shall pour out the dust that
they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:
and they shall take other stones, and put them in the
place of those stones ; and he shall take other mor-
ter, and shall plaister the house. And if the plague
come again, and break out in the house, after that
he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath
scraped the house, and after it is plaistered ; then the
priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague
be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the
house: it is unclean. And he shall break down the
[ 333 ]
LEVITICUS [XIV
house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and
all the morter of the house ; and he shall carry them
forth out of the city into an unclean place. Moreover
he that goeth into the house all the while that it is
shut up shall be unclean until the even. And he that
lieth in the house shall wash his clothes ; and he that
eateth in the house shall wash his clothes. And if the
priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold,
the plague hath not spread in the house, after the
house was plaistered : then the priest shall pronounce
the house clean, because the plague is healed. And
he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar
wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: and he shall kill the
one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running
water: and he shall take the cedar wood, and the hys-
sop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them
in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running wa-
ter, and sprinkle the house seven times : and he shall
cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with
the running water, and with the living bird, and with
the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the
scarlet: but he shall let go the Hving bird out of the
city into the open fields, and make an atonement for
the house: and it shall be clean.
This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy,
and scall, and for the leprosy of a garment, and of a
[ S34 ]
XV] LEVITICUS
house, and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright
spot: to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean :
this is the law of leprosy.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron,
saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say
unto them. When any man hath a running issue out
of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. And
this shall be iiis uncleanness in his issue: whether his
flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from
his issue, it is his uncleanness. Every bed, whereon
he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every
thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean. And who-
soever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and
bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that
hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe him-
self in water, and be unclean until the even. And he
that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in w^ater, and be
unclean until the even. And if he that hath the issue
spit upon him that is clean ; then he shall wash his
clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the even. And what saddle soever he rideth
u|X)n that hath the issue shall be unclean. And who-
soever toucheth any thing that was under him shall
be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any
[ 335 ]
LEVITICUS [XV
of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe him-
self in water, and be unclean until the even. And
whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and
hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his
clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the even. And the vessel of earth, that he touch-
eth which hath the issue, shall be broken : and every
vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. And when
he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue ; then he
shall number to himself seven days for his cleans-
ing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in run-
ning water, and shall be clean. And on the eighth day
he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young
pigeons, and come before the Lord unto the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them
unto the priest: and the priest shall offer them, the
one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offer-
ing ; and the priest shall make an atonement for him
before the Lord for his issue. And if any man's seed of
copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his
flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. And
every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed
of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be un-
clean until the even. The woman also with whom man
shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe
themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
[ '336 J
XV] LEVITICUS
And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in
her flesh he hlood, she shall be put apart seven days:
and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until
the even. And every thing that she lieth upon in her
separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she
sitteth upon shall he unclean. And whosoever touch-
eth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe him-
self in water, and be unclean until the even. And
whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be
unclean until tlie even. And if it be on her bed, or on
any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it,
he shall be unclean until the even. And if any man
lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he
shall be unclean seven days ; and all the bed whereon
he lieth shall be unclean. And if a woman have an
issue of her blood many days out of the time of her
separation, or if it run beyond the time of her sepa-
ration ; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness
shall be as the days of her separation : she shall be
unclean. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days
of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her se-
paration: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be
unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. And
whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean,
and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
[ 337 ]
LEVITICUS [XVI
water, and be unclean until the even. But if she be
cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to her-
self seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two
turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto
the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the con-
gregation. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin
offering, and the other for a burnt offering ; and the
priest shall make an atonement for her before the
Lord for the issue of her uncleanness. Thus shall ye
separate the children of Israel from their unclean-
ness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when
they defile my tabernacle that is among them.
This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of
him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled there-
with; and of her that is sick of her flowers, and of
him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman,
and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.
And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death
of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before
the Lord, and died; and the Lord said unto Moses,
Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at
all times into the holy place within the vail before the
mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not:
for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
Thus sliall Aaron come into the holy place: with a
[ 358 ]
XVI] LEVITICUS
young bullock tor a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt
offering. He vshall put on the holy linen coat, and he
shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall
be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre
shall he be attired : these are holy garments ; there-
fore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them
on. And he shall take of the congregation of the chil-
dren of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering,
and one ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall
offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for him-
self, and make an atonement for himself, and for his
house. And he shall take the two goats, and present
them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon
the two goats ; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot
for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat
upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin
offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the
scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord,
to make an atonement with him, and to let him go
for a scapegoat into the wilderness. And Aaron shall
bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for
himself, and shall make an atonement for himself,
and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the
sin offering which is for himself: and he shall take a
censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar
[ 3^9 ]
LEVITICUS [XVI
before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense
beaten small, and bring it within the vail: and he shall
put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the
cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that
is upon the testimony, that he die not: and he shall
take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with
his finger upon the mercy seat eastward ; and before
the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his
finger seven times.
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that
IS for the people, and bring his blood within the vail,
and do with that blood as he did with the blood of
the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and
before the mercy seat: and he shall make an atone-
ment for the holy place, because of the uncleanness
of the children of Israel, and because of their trans-
gressions in all their sins : and so shall he do for the
tabernacle of the congregation , that remaineth among
them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there
shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congrega-
tion when he goeth in to make an atonement in the
holy place, until become out, and have made an atone-
ment for himself, and for his household, and for all
the congregation of Israel. And he shall go out unto
the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atone-
ment for it; and shall take of the blood of the bul-
[ 340 ]
XVI] LEVITICUS
lock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon
the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprin-
kle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times,
and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of
the children of Israel.
And when he hath made an end of reconciling the
holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation,
and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: and Aaron
shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live
goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all
their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat,
and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man
into the wilderness : and the goat shall bear upon him
all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited : and he
shall let go the goat in the wilderness. And Aaron
shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation,
and shall put off' the linen garments, which he put
on when he w^ent into the holy place, and shall leave
them there: and he shall wash his flesh with water
in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come
forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt of-
fering of the people, and make an atonement for him-
self, and for the people. And the fat of the sin offer-
ing shall he burn upon the altar. And he that let go
the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and
L 34.1 ]
LEVITICUS [XVI
bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the
camp. And the bullock for the sin offering, and the
goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought
in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one
carry forth without the camp ; and they shall burn in
the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and
bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come
into the camp.
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you : that
in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the mionth,
ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all,
whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger
that sojourneth among you : for on that day shall the
priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you,
that ye may be clean from all your sins before the
Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye
shall affli6l your souls, by a statute for ever. And the
priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall con-
secrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's
stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on
the linen clothes, even the holy garments: and he
shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and
he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the
congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make
an atonement for the priests, and for all the people
[ ;J42 ]
XVII] LEVITICUS
of the congregation. And tliis shall he an everlasting
statute unto you, to make an atonement for the chil-
dren of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he
did as the Lord commanded Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the chil-
dren of Israel, and say unto them: This is the thing
wliich the Lord hath commanded, saying, What man
soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an
ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it
out of the camp, and bringeth it not unto the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offer-
ing unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord ;
blood shall be imputed unto that man ; he hath shed
blood ; and that man shall be cut off' from among his
people: to the end that the children of Israel may
bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open
field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord,
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings
unto the Lord. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood
upon the altar of the Lord at the door of the taber-
nacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet
savour unto the Lord. And they shall no more offer
their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have
gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto
[ ^^43 ]
LEVITICUS [XVII
them throughout their generations.
And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man
there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers
which sojourn among you, that ofFereth a burnt of-
fering or sacrifice, and bringeth it not unto the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto
the Lord ; even that man shall be cut off from among
his people.
And whatsoever man there be of the house of Is-
rael, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that
eateth any manner of blood ; I will even set my face
against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him
off from among his people. For the life of the flesh
is in the blood : and I have given it to you upon the
altar to make an atonement for your souls : for it is
the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul
of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that
sojourneth among you eat blood. And whatsoever
man there be of the children of Israel, or of the stran-
gers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and
catch eth any beast or fowl that maybe eaten ; he shall
even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with
dust. P^or it is the life of all flesh ; the blood of it is
for the life thereof: therefore I said unto tlie children
of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh :
xviii] LEVITICUS
for tlie life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whoso-
ever cateth it shall be cut oiT. And every soul that
eateth that which died of itself, or that which was
torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own coun-
try, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and
bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even:
then shall he be clean. But if he wash them not, nor
bathe his flesh ; then he shall bear his iniquity.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am
the Lord your God. After the doings of the land of
Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after
the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you,
shall ye not do : neither shall ye walk in their ordi-
nances. Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine
ordinances, to walk therein : I am the Lord your God.
Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judg-
ments : which if a man do, he shall live in them : I
am the Lord.
None of you shall approach to any that is near
of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the
Lord. The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness
of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy
mother ; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The
nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover :
it is thy father's nakedness. The nakedness of thy sis-
[ '^^o ]
LEVITICUS [XVIII
ter, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy
mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad,
even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. The na-
kedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's
daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not un-
cover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. The naked-
ness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy
father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her
nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness
of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kins-
woman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of
thy mother's sister : for she is thy mother's near kins-
woman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of
thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his
wife: she is thine aunt. Thou shalt not uncover the
nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's
wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou
shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife :
it is thy brother's nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover
the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither
shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's
daughter, to uncover her nakedness ; for they are her
near kinswomen : it is wickedness. Neither shalt thou
take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her
nakedness, beside the other in her life time. Also thou
shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her na-
[ 3^6 ]
XVIII] LEVITICUS
kedness, as long as she is put apart for her unclean-
ness. Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy
neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her. And thou
shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to
Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy
God: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not lie with man-
kind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither
shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself there-
with : neither shall any woman stand before a beast
to lie downtliereto: it is confusion. Defile notyeyour-
selves in any of these things : for in all these the na-
tions are defiled which I cast out before you: and the
land is defiled : therefore I do visit the iniquity there-
of upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inha-
bitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my
judgments, and shall not commit any of these abomi-
nations; neither any of your own nation, nor any
stranger that sojourneth among you : ( for all these
abominations have the men of the land done, which
were before you, and the land is defiled;) that the
land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it
spued out the nations that were before you. For who-
soever shall commit any of these abominations, even
the souls that comrnit them shall be cut off from among
their people. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance,
that ye commit not any one of these abominable cus-
[ '347 ]
LEVITICUS [XIX
toms, which were committed before you, and that
ye defile not yourselves therein : I am the Lord your
God.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and
say unto them. Ye shall be holy : for I the Lord your
God am holy.
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his fa-
ther, and keep my sabbaths : I am the Lord your God.
Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves
molten gods: I am the Lord your God.
And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto
the Lord, ye shall offer it at your own will. It shall
be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the mor-
row: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall
be burnt in the fire. And if it be eaten at all on the
third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted.
Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his in-
iquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing
of the Lord : and that soul shall be cut off from among
his people.
And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou
shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither
shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And
thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou
gather every grape of thy vineyard ; thou shalt leave
[ ^48 ]
XIX] LEVITICUS
them for the poor and stranger : I am the Lord your
God.
Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie
one to another.
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, nei-
ther shalt thou profane the name of thy God : I am
the Lord.
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob
him : the wages of him that is hired shall not abide
with tliee all night until the morning.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-
block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am
the Lord.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou
shalt not respe6l the person of the poor, nor honour
the person of the mighty : but in righteousness shalt
thou judge thy neighbour.
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer
among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against
the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart:
thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not
suffer sin upon him.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge
against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
[ 349 ]
LEVITICUS [XIX
"I'l Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy
cattle gender with a diverse kind : thou shalt not sow
thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment
mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that
is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at
all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be
scourged ; they shall not be put to death, because she
was not free. And he shall bring his trespass offer-
ing unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation , even a ram for a trespass offering.
And the priest shall make an atonement for him with
the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for
his sin which he hath done : and the sin which he hath
done shall be forgiven him.
And when ye shall come into the land, and shall
have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye
shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised : three
years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you : it shall
not be eaten of. But in the fourth year all the fruit
thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal. And
in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that
it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the
Lord your God.
e^V'Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither
shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. Ye shall
[ 350 ]
XIX] LEVITICUS
not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt
thou mar the corners of thy beard. Ye shall not make
any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any
marks upon you: I am the Lord.
Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to
be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the
land become full of wickedness.
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my
san6luary: I am the Lord.
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither
seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the
Lord your God.
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and ho-
nour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I
am the Lord. ge snsi vm l^a
And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land,
ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwell-
eth with you shall be unto you as one bom among
you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your
God.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in
meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances,
just weights, a just ephah, and a just bin, shall ye
have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you
out of the land of Egypt. Therefore shall ye observe
[ 351 ]
LEVITICUS [XX
all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them :
I am the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Again,
thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever
he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers
that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto
Molech ; he shall surely be put to death : the people
of the land shall stone him v/ith stones. And I will
set my face against that man, and will cut him off
from among his people ; because he hath given of his
seed unto Molech, to defile my san6luary, and to
profane my holy name. And if the people of the land
do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he
giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: then
I will set my face against that man, and against his
family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whor-
ing after him, to commit whoredom with Molech,
from among their people.
And the soul that turneth after such as have fa-
miliar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after
them, I will even set my face against that soul, and
will cut him off from among his people.
San6lify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for
I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my
statutes, and do them : I am the Lord which sanctify
you.
[ 1352 ]
XX] LEVITICUS
For every one that curseth his father or his mo-
ther shall be surely put to death : he hath cursed his
father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
And the man that committeth adultery with an-
other man's wife, even he that committeth adultery
with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adul-
teress shall surely be put to death. And the man that
lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's
nakedness : both of them shall surely be put to death ;
their blood shall be upon them. And if a man lie with
his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put
to death : they have wrought confusion ; their blood
shall be upon them. If a man also lie with mankind,
as he lieth with a woman, both of them have com-
mitted an abomination: they shall surely be put to
death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man
take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they
shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there
be no wickedness among you. And if a man lie with
a beast, he shall surely be put to death : and ye shall
slay the beast. And if a woman approach unto any
beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the wo-
man, and the beast : they shall surely be put to death ;
their blood shall be upon them. And if a man shall
take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's
daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his
LEVITICUS [XX
nakedness ; it is a wicked thing ; and they shall be
cut off in the sight of their people : he hath uncovered
his sister's nakedness ; he shall bear his iniquity. And
if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness,
and shall uncover her nakedness ; he hath discovered
her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of
her blood : and both of them shall be cut off from
among their people. And thou shalt not uncover the
nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's
sister: for he uncovereth his near kin : they shall bear
their iniquity. And if a man shall lie with his uncle's
wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: tliey
shall bear their sin ; they shall die childless. And if
a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean
thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness;
they shall be childless.
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all
my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither
I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. And
ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which
I cast out before you: for they committed all these
things, and therefore I abhorred them. But I have
said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will
give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with
milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have
separated you from other people. Ye shall therefore
[ 354 ]
xxj] LEVITICUS
put (lifFerence between clean beasts and unclean, and
between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not
make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl,
or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on
the ground, which I have separated from you as un-
clean. And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord
am holy, and have severed you from other people,
that ye should be mine.
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit,
or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they
shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be
upon them.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the
priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them. There
shall none be defiled for the dead among his people :
but for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his
mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for
his daughter, and for his brother, and for his sister
a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no
husband ; for her may he be defiled. But he shall not
defile himself, being a chief man among his people,
to profane himself. They shall not make baldness
upon their head, neither shall they shave off the cor-
ner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their
flesh. They shall be holy unto their God, and not
profane the name of their God: for the offerings of
[ 355 ]
LEVITICUS [XXI
the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God,
they do offer: therefore they shall be holy. They
shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane;
neither shall they take a woman put away from her
husband: for he is holy unto his God. Thou shalt
san6f ify him therefore ; for he ofFereth the bread of
thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord,
which san6lify you, am holy. And the daughter of
any priest, if she profane herself by playing the
whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt
with fire.
And he that is the high priest among his brethren,
upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and
that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not
uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; neither shall
he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his
father, or for his mother; neither shall he go out of
the san6luary , nor profane the san6luary of his God ;
for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon
him: I am the Lord. And he shall take a wife in her
virginity. A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane,
or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take
a virgin of his own people to wife. Neither shall he
profane his seed among his people: for I the Lord do
san61ify him.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
[ a5c ]
XXII] LEVITICUS
unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in
their generations that hath any blemish, let him not
approach to offer the bread of his God. For what-
soever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not
approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a
flat nose, or any thing superfluous, or a man that is
brokenfooted,or brokenhanded,or crookbackt, or a
dwarf, or tliat hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy,
or scabbed, or hath his stones broken ; no man that
hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall
come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made
by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh
to offer the bread of his God. He shall eat the bread
of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh
unto the altar, because he hath a blemish ; that he
profane not my san6luaries : for I the Lord do sanc-
tify them. And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his
sons, and unto all the children of Lsrael.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate them-
selves from the holy things of the children of Israel,
and that they profane not my holy name in those
tilings which they hallow unto me: I am the Lord.
Say unto them , Whosoever he be of all your seed
among your generations, that goeth unto the holy
[ ^57 ]
LEVITICUS [XXII
things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the
Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall
be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord. What
man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath
a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things,
until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that
is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth
from him ; or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing,
whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom
he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness
he hath ; the soul which hath touched any such shall
be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy
things, unless he wash his flesh with water. And when
the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall after-
ward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he
shall not eat to defile himself therewith : I am the
Lord. They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest
they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they pro-
fane it: I the Lord do san6fify them. There shall no
stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the
priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy
thing. But if the priest buy any soul with his money,
he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house:
they shall eat of his meat. If the priest's daughter
also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat
[ 358 ]
xxii] LEVITICUS
of an oftering of the holy things. But if the priest's
daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child,
and is returned unto her father's house, as in her
youth, she shall eat of her father's meat: but there
shall no stranger eat thereof.
And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly,
then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and
shall give it unto the priest witli the holy thing. And
they shall not profane the holy things of the children
of Israel, which they offer unto the Lord; or suffer
them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat
their holy things: for I the Lord do san6fify them.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children
of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of
the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that
will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his
freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the Lord
for a burnt offering ; ye shall offer at your own will
a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep,
or of the goats. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that
shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for
you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace of-
ferings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a
freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be per-
fe6l to be accepted ; there shall be no blemish therein.
[ 359 ]
LEVITICUS [XXII
Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or
scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the
Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the
altar unto the Lord. Either a bullock or a lamb that
hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts,
that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering ; but for
a vow it shall not be accepted. Ye shall not offer unto
the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken,
or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof
in your land. Neither from a stranger's hand shall
ye offer the bread of your God of any of these ; be-
cause their corruption is in them, and blemishes be
in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. When a
bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then
it shall be seven days under the dam ; and from the
eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for
an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And whether
it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young
both in one day. And when ye will offer a sacrifice
of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own
will. On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall
leave none of it until the morrow: I am the Lord.
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do
them: I am the Lord. Neither shall ye profane my
holy name; but I will be hallowed among the chil-
[ '360 ]
XXIII] LEVITICUS
dren of Israel : I am the Lord which hallow you, that
brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your
God: I am the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Con-
cerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall pro-
claim to be holy convocations, even these are my
feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh
day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation ; ye
shall do no work therein : it is the sabbath of the Lord
in all your dwellings.
These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy con-
vocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is
the Lord's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the
same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto
the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation :
ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall of-
fer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven
days : in the seventh day is an holy convocation : ye
shall do no servile work therein.
And the Ix)rd spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When
ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and
shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a
I [ '^61 ] m2
LEVITICUS [XXIII
sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
and he shall wave the sheaf hefore the Lord, to be ac-
cepted for you : on the morrow after the sabbath the
priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when
ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of
the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord. And
the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals
of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by
fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour : and the drink
offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of
an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched
corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye
have brought an offering unto your God : it shall be
a statute for ever throughout your generations in all
your dwellings.
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after
the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf
of the wave offering ; seven sabbaths shall be com-
plete : even unto the morrow after the seventh sab-
bath shall ye number fifty days ; and ye shall offer a
new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out
of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth
deals : they shall be of fine flour ; they shall be baken
with leaven ; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.
And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs with-
out blemish of the first year, and one young bullock,
[ 3G2 ]
xxiii] LEVITICUS
and two rams: tliey shall be for a burnt offerine; unto
the Ix)rcl, with their meat offering, and their drink
offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet sa-
vour unto the Lord. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid
of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the
first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the
priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-
fruits for a wave offering before the Lord, with the
two lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the
priest. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day,
that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall
do no servile work therein : it shall be a statute for
ever in all your dwellings throughout your genera-
tions.
And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou
shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy
field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any
gleaning of thy harvest : thou shalt leave them unto
the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your
God.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying. In the seventh
month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a
sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy
convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein : but
je shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord,
[ 363 ]
LEVITICUS [XXIII
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Also on
the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be
a day of atonement : it shall be an holy convocation
unto you; and ye shall affli6l your souls, and offer
an offering made by fire unto the Lord, And ye shall
do no work in that same day : for it is a day of atone-
ment, to make an atonement for you before the Lord
your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not
be affli6fed in that same day, he shall be cut off from
among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that do-
eth any work in that same day, the same soul will I
destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no man-
ner of work : it shall be a statute for ever through-
out your generations in all your dwellings. It shall
be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall affli6l your
souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from
even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day
of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles
for seven days unto the Lord. On the first day shall
be an holy convocation : ye shall do no servile work
therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made
by fire unto the Lord : on the eighth day shall be an
holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an
offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn
[ 364 ]
xxiii] LEVITICUS
assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall pro-
claim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering
made by lire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a
meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every
thing upon his day: beside the sabbaths of the Lord,
and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and
beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto
the Lord. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh
month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the
land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days :
on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth
day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the
first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm
trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of
the brook ; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your
God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto
the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute
for ever in your generations : ye shall celebrate it in
the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven
days ; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths :
that your generations may know that I made the
children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought
them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your
God. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel
the feasts of the Lord.
[ 365 ]
LEVITICUS [XXIV
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Com-
mand the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee
pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps
to burn continually. Without the vail of the testimony,
in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron
order it from the evening unto the morning before
the Lord continually : it shall be a statute for ever in
your generations. He shall order the lamps upon the
pure candlestick before the Lord continually.
And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve
cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row,
upon the pure table before the Lord. And thou shalt
put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be
on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made
by fire unto the Lord. Every sabbath he shall set
it in order before the Lord continually, being taken
from the children of Israel by an everlasting cove-
nant. And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' ; and they
shall eat it in the holy place : for it is most holy unto
him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire by a
perpetual statute.
And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father
was an Egyptian, went out among the children of
Israel : and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man
of Israel strove together in the camp ; and the Israel-
[ 366 ]
XXIV] LEVITICUS
itish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord,
and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses : ( and
his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of
Dibri,of the tribe of Dan : ) and they put him in ward,
that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Bring
forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let
all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and
let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt
speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever
curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blas-
phemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be
put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly
stone him : as well the stranger, as he that is born
in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the
Lord, shall be put to death.
And he that killeth any man shall surely be put
to death. And he that killeth a beast shall make it
good ; beast for beast. And if a man cause a blemish
in his neighbour ; as he hath done, so shall it be done
to him; breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for
tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall
it be done to him again. And he that killeth a beast,
he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he
shall be put to death. Ye shall have one manner of
law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own
[ 367 ]
LEVITICUS [XXV
country: for I am the Lord your God.
And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that
they should bring forth him that had cursed out of
the camp, and stone him with stones. And the chil-
dren of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses in mount Sinai,
saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say
unto them. When ye come into the land which I
give you, tlien shall the land keep a sabbath unto the
Lord. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years
thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit
thereof; but in the seventh year shall be a sabbath
of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou
shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
That which groweth of its own accord of thy har-
vest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes
of thy vine undressed : for it is a year of rest unto
the land. And the sabbath of the land shall be meat
for you ; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy
maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger
that sojourneth with thee, and for thy cattle, and for
the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase
thereof be meat.
And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years
unto thee, seven times seven years ; and the space of
the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty
[ 368 ]
XXV] LEVITICUS
and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet
of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh
month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the
trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall
hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty through-
out all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it
shall be a jubile unto 3'ou; and ye shall return every
man unto his possession, and ye shall return every
man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year
be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which
groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of
thy vine undressed. For it is the jubile; it shall be holy
unto you : ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the
field. In the year of this jubile ye shall return every
man unto his possession. And if thou sell ought unto
thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's
hand, ye shall not oppress one another: according to
the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy
of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of
years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: according
to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price
thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou
shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the
number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto
thee. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another ; but
thou shalt fear thy God : for I am the Lord your God.
[ 369 ]
LEVITICUS [XXV
Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my
judgments, and do them ; and ye shall dwell in the
land in safety. And the land shall yield her fruit, and
ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. And
if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year.?
behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:
then I will command my blessing upon you in the
sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three
years. And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet
of old fruit until the ninth year ; until her fruits come
in ye shall eat of the old store.
The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land
is mine ; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant
a redemption for the land.
If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away
some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to
redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother
sold. And if the man have none to redeem it, and him-
self be able to redeem it ; then let him count the years
of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the
man to whom he sold it ; that he may return unto his
possession. But if he be not able to restore it to him,
then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of
him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and
in the jubile it sliall go out, and he shall return unto
[ 370 ]
XXV] LEVITICUS
his possession. And if a man sell a dwelling house in
a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole
vear after it is sold : within a full year may he redeem
it. And if it he not redeemed within the space of a full
year, then the house that is in the walled city shall
be established for ever to him that bought it through-
out his generations: it shall not go out in the jubile.
But the houses of the villages which have no wall
round about them shall be counted as the fields of
the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall
go out in the jubile. Notwithstanding the cities of the
Levites, and the houses of the cities of their posses-
sion, may the Levites redeem at any time. And if a
man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was
sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the
year of jubile: for the houses of the cities of the Le-
vites are their possession among the children of Is-
rael. But the field of the suburbs of their cities may
not be sold ; for it is their perpetual possession.
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in de-
cay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though
he be a stranger, or a sojourner ; that he may live with
thee. Take thou no usury of him, or increase : but fear
thy God ; that thy brother may live w^ith thee. Thou
shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend
him thy viftuals for increase. I am the Lord your God,
[ 371 ]
LEVITICUS [XXV
which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to
give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen
poor, and be sold unto thee ; thou shalt not compel
him to serve as a bondservant: but as an hired ser-
vant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and
shall serve thee unto the year of jubile : and then shall
he depart from thee, both he and his children with
him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto
the possession of his fathers shall he return. For they
are my servants, which I brought forth out of the
land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.
Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt
fear thy God. Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids,
which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that
are round about you ; of them shall ye buy bondmen
and bondmaids. Moreoverof the children of the stran-
gers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye
buy, and of their families that are with you, which
they begat in your land : and they shall be your pos-
session. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for
your children after you, to inherit them for a posses-
sion ; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over
your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule
one over another with rigour.
And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee,
[ 372 ]
XXV] LEVITICUS
and thy brother that dvvelleth by him wax poor, and
sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee,
or to the stock of the stranger's family : after that he
is sold he may be redeemed again ; one of his bre-
thren may redeem him : either his uncle, or his uncle's
son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto
him of his family may redeem him ; or if he be able,
he may redeem himself. And he shall reckon with
him that bought him from the year that he was sold
to him unto the year of jubile: and the price of his
sale shall be according unto the number of years, ac-
cording to the time of an hired servant shall it be with
him. If there be yet many years behind, according
unto them he shall give again the price of his redemp-
tion out of the money that he was bought for. And
if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile,
then he shall count with him, and according unto his
years shall he give him again the priceof his redemp-
tion. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with
him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over
him in thy sight. And if he be not redeemed in these
years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both
he, and his children with him. For unto me the chil-
dren of Israel are servants; they are my servants
whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I
am the Lord your God.
[ 373 ]
LEVITICUS [XXVI
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image,
neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall
ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow
down unto it: for I am the Lord your God.
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my
san6luary: I am the Lord.
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my command-
ments, and do them ; then I will give you rain in due
season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the
trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your
threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vin-
tage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall
eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land
safel3^ And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall
lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will
rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword
go through your land. And ye shall chase your ene-
mies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hun-
dred of you shall put ten thousand to flight : and your
enemies shall fall before you by the sword. For I will
have respe6l unto you, and make you fruitful, and
multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old
because of the new. And I will set my tabernacle
among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I
[ 374 ]
XXVI] LEVITICUS
will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye
shall be my people. I am the Lord your God, which
brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye
should not be their bondmen ; and I have broken the
bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.
But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not
do all these commandments; and if ye shall despise
my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so
that ye will not do all my commandments, but that
ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you;
I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and
the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and
cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed
in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set
my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your
enemies : they that hate you shall reign over you ; and
ye shall flee when none pursueth you. And if ye will
not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will pun-
ish you seven times more for your sins. And I will
break the pride of your power ; and I will make your
heaven as iron; and your earth as brass: and your
strength shall be spent in vain : for your land shall
not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the
land yield their fruits.
And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not
hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more
[ 375 ]
LEVITICUS [XXVI
plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also
send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of
your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you
few in number; and your high wa3^s shall be deso-
late. And if ye will not be reformed by me by these
things, but will walk contrary unto me; then will I
also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet
seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword
\ipon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my cove-
nant: and when ye are gathered together within your
cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye
shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. And
when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten wo-
men shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall
deliver you your bread again by weight : and ye shall
eat, and not be satisfied. And if ye will not for all
this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;
then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury ; and
I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh
of your daughters shall ye eat. And* I will destroy
your high places, and cut down your images, and cast
your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and
my soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities
waste, and bring your san6luaries unto desolation,
and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours,
[ 37fi 1
XXVI] LEVITICUS
And I will bring the land into desolation : and your
enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at
it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will
draw out a sword after you : and your land shall be
desolate, and your cities waste. Then shall the land
enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and
ye be in your enemies' land ; even then shall the land
rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. As long as it lieth deso-
late it shall rest , because it did not rest in your sab-
baths, when ye dwelt upon it. And upon them that
are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their
hearts in the lands of their enemies ; and the sound
of a shaken leaf shall chase them ; and they shall flee,
as fleeing from a sword ; and tliey shall fall when
none pursueth. And they shall fall one upon another,
as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and
ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land
of your enemies shall eat you up. And they that are
left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your
enemies' lands ; and also in the iniquities of their fa-
thers shall they pine away with them. If they shall
confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers,
with their trespass which they trespassed against me,
and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
and that I also have walked contrary unto them, and
[ 377 ]
LEVITICUS [XXVII
have brought them into the land of their enemies ;
if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and
they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity :
then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and
also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant
with Abraham will I remember ; and I will remem-
ber the land. The land also shall be left of them, and
shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate with-
out them : and they shall accept of the punishment
of their iniquity : because, even because they despised
my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my
statutes. And yet for all that, when they be in the
land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nei-
ther will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and
to break my covenant with them : for I am the Lord
their God. But I will for their sakes remember the
covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth
out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen,
that I might be their God: I am the Lord. These are
the statutes and judgments and laws, which the Lord
made between him and the children of Israel in mount
Sinai by the hand of Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When
a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall
be for the Lord by thy estimation. And thy estima-
[ 3'J'H J
XXVII] LEVITICUS
tion shall be of the male from twenty years old even
unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty
shekels of silver, after the shekel of the san6f uary.
And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be
thirty shekels. And if it be from five years old even
unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be
of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten
shekels. And if it be from a month old even unto five
years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male
five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estima-
tion shall be three shekels of silver. And if it be from
sixty years old and above ; if it be a male, then thy
estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female
ten shekels. But if he be poorer than thy estimation,
then he shall present himself before the priest, and
the priest shall value him ; according to his ability tliat
vowed shall the priest value him. And if it be a beast,
whereof men bring an offering unto the Lord, all that
any man giveth of such unto the Lord shall be holy.
He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad,
or a bad for a good : and if he shall at all change beast
for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be
holy. And if it be any unclean beast, of which they
do not offer a sacrifice unto the Lord, then he shall
present the beast before the priest: and the priest
shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou
[ 379 ]
LEVITICUS [XXVII
vainest it, who art the priest, so shall it be. But if
he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part
thereof unto thy estimation.
And when a man shall san6lify his house to be
holy unto the Lord, then the priest shall estimate it,
whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate
it, so shall it stand. And if he that sanctified it will
redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of
the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be
his. And if a man shall san6f ify unto the Lord some
part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation
shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of
barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of sil-
ver. If he san6lify his field from the year of jubile,
according to thy estimation it shall stand. But if he
san6fify his field after the jubile, then the priest shall
reckon unto him the money according to the years
that remain, even unto the year of the jubile, and it
shall be abated from thy estimation. And if he that
san6lified the field will in any wise redeem it, then
he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy esti-
mation unto it, and it shall be assured to him. And
if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the
field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any
more. But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile,
shall be holy unto the Lord, as a field devoted; the
[ 380 ]
xxvu] LEVITICUS
possession thereof shall be the priest's. And if a man
san6tify unto the Lord a field which he hath bought,
which is not of the fields of his possession; then the
priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy esti-
mation, even unto the year of the jubile : and he shall
give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto
the Lord. In the year of the jubile the field shall re-
turn unto him of whom it was bought, even to him
to whom the possession of the land did belong. And
all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel
of the san6luary : twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.
Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be
the Lord's firstling, no man shall san6fify it; whether
it be ox, or sheep: it is the Lord's. And if it be of an
unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to
thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it there-
to: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold ac-
cording to thy estimation. Notwithstanding no de-
voted thing, that a man shall devote unto the Lord
of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of
the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed :
every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord. None
devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be re-
deemed ; but shall surely be put to death. And all the
tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or
of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the
[ 381 ]
LEVITICUS [XXVII
Lord. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his
tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And
concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even
of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall
be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether
it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if
he change it at all, then both it and the change there-
of shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
These are the commandments, which the Lord
commanded Moses forthe children of Israel in mount
Sinai.
[ 38^ ]
THE FOURTH BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
NUMBERS
4 ND the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilder-
jlV ness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congre-
gation, on the first day of the second month, in the
second year after they were come out of the land
of Egypt, saying. Take ye the sum of all the con-
gregation of the children of Israel, after their fami-
lies, by the house of their fathers, with the number of
their names, every male by their polls ; from twenty
years old and upward, all that are able to go forth
to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them
by their armies. And with you there shall be a man
of every tribe ; every one head of the house of his
fathers.
And these are the names of the men that shall
stand with you : of the tribe of Reuben ; Elizur the
son of Shedeur. Of Simeon ; Shelumiel the son of Zu-
rishaddai. Of Judah;Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
Of Issachar • Nethaneel the son of Zuar. Of Zebulun ;
Eliab the son of Helon. Of the children of Joseph:
of Ephraim ; Elishama the son of Ammihud : of Ma-
nasseh ; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. Of Benjamin ;
Abidan the son of Gideoni. Of Dan ; Ahiezer the son
of Ammishaddai. Of Asher ; Pagiel the son of Ocran.
[ 383 ]
NUMBERS [I
Of Gad; Eliasapli the son of Deuel. Of Naphtali;
Ahira the son of Enan. These were the renowned
of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their
fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.
And Moses and Aaron took these men which are
expressed by their names : and they assembled all
the congregation together on the first day of the se-
cond month, and they declared their pedigrees after
their families, by the house of their fathers, accord-
ing to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, by their polls. As the Lord com-
manded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilder-
ness of Sinai.
And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by
their generations, after their families, by the house of
their fathers, according to the number of the names,
by their polls, every male from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war; those
that were numbered of them , even of the tribe of Reu-
ben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
Of the children of Simeon, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers,
those that were numbered of them, according to the
number of the names, by their polls, every male from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to
go forth to war; those that were numbered of them,
[ -^y-i ]
I] NUMBERS
even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thou-
sand and three hundred.
Of the cliildren of Gad, by their generations, after
their families, by the house of their fathers, accord-
ing to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go forth to
war; those that were numbered of them, even of the
tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hun-
dred and fifty.
Of the children of Judah,by theirgenerations,after
their families, by the house of their fathers, accord-
ing to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go forth to
war; those that were numbered of them, even of the
tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thou-
sand and six hundred.
Of the children of Issachar, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers, ac-
cording to the number of the names, from twenty
years old and upward, all that were able to go forth
to war; those that were numbered of them, even of
the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand
and four hundred.
Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers, ac-
cording to the number of the names, from twenty
I [ 385 ] N
NUMBERS [I
years old and upward, all that were able to go forth
to war ; those that were numbered of them, even of
the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand
and four hundred.
Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children
of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families,
by the house of their fathers, according to the num-
ber of the names, from twenty years old and upward,
all that were able to go forth to war ; those that were
numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were
forty thousand and five hundred.
Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers, ac-
cording to the number of the names, from twenty
years old and upward, all that were able to go forth
to war ; those that were numbered of them, even of
the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand
and two hundred.
Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers, ac-
cording to the number of the names, from twenty
years old and upward, all that were able to go forth
to war; those that were numbered of them, even of
the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand
and four hundred.
Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after
[ 386 ]
I] NUMBERS
tlieir families, by the liouse of their fathers, accord-
ing to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go fortli to
war; those that were numbered of them, even of the
tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and
seven hundred.
Of the childrenofAsher, by their generations, after
their families, by the house of their fathers, accord-
ing to the DAimber of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go forth to
war ; those that were numbered of them, even of the
tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five
hundred.
Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their gene-
rations, after their families, by the house of their fa-
thers, according to the number of the names, from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to
go forth to war; those that were numbered of them,
even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three
thousand and four hundred. These are those that
were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered,
and the princes of Israel, being twelve men : each one
was for the house of his fathers. So were all those
that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the
house of their fathers, from twenty years old and ujv
ward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel ;
[ 387 ]
NUMBERS [II
even all they that were numbered were six hundred
thousand and three thousand and five hundred and
fifty.
But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were
not numbered among them. For the Lord had spoken
unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the
tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among
the children of Israel : but thou shalt appoint the Le-
vites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all
the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong
to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the ves-
sels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall
encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the
tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it
down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the
Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh
nigh shall be put to death. And the children of Israel
shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp,
and every man by his own standard, throughout their
hosts. But the Levites shall pitch round about the ta-
bernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon
the congregation of the children of Israel : and the
Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of
testimony. And the children of Israel did according
to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
[ 588 ]
II] NUMBERS
saying. Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch
by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's
house : far off about the tabernacle of the congrega-
tion shall they pitch. And on the east side toward the
rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp
of Judah pitch throughout their armies : and Nahshon
the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the chil-
dren of Judah, And his host, and those that were num-
bered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand
and six hundred. And those that do pitch next unto
him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the
son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issa-
char. And his host, and those that were numbered
thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hun-
dred. Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son
of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.
And his host, and those that were numbered thereof,
were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. All
that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an
hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six
thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies.
These shall first set forth.
On the south side shall be the standard of the camp
of Reuben according to their armies : and the captain
of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of
Shedeur. And his host, and those that were numbered
[ 389 ]
NUMBERS [11
thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hun-
dred. And these which pitch hy him sliall be the tribe
of Simeon : and the captain of the children of Simeon
shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. And his
host, and those that were numbered of them, were
fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. Then the
tribe of Gad : and tlie captain of the sons of Gad shall
be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. And his host, and those
that were numbered of them , were forty and five thou-
sand and six hundred and fifty. All that were num-
bered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thou-
sand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred
and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set
forth in the second rank.
Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set
forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst
of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set for-
ward, every man in his place by their standards.
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp
of Ephraim according to their armies : and the cap-
tain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the
son of Ammihud. And his host, and those that were
numbered of them, were forty thousand and five
hundred. And by liim shall be the tribe of Manas-
seh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh
shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. And his host,
[ 390 ]
in NUMBERS
and those that were numbered of them, were thirty
and two thousand and two hundred. Then the tribe
of Benjamin : and the captain of the sons of Benjamin
shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. And his host, and
those that were numbered of them, were thirty and
five thousand and four hundred. All that were num-
bered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thou-
sand and eight thousand and an luindred, throughout
their armies. And they shall go forward in the third
rank.
The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the
north side by their armies : and the captain of the chil-
dren of Dan shall be Ahiezer thesonof Ammishaddai.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them,
were threescore and two thousand and seven hun-
dred. And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe
of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher
shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran. And his host, and
those that were numbered of them, were forty and
one thousand and five hundred.
Then the tribe of Naphtali : and the captain of the
children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them,
were fifty and three thousand and four hundred. All
they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were
an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand
[ 39] ]
NUMBERS [III
and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their
standards.
These are those which were numbered of the chil-
dren of Israel by the house of their fathers : all those
that were numbered of the camps throughout their
hosts vv^ere six hundred thousand and three thousand
and five hundred and fifty. But the Levites were not
numbered among the children of Israel ; as the Lord
commanded Moses. And the children of Israel did ac-
cording to all that the Lord commanded Moses: so
they pitched by their standards, and so they set for-
ward, every one after their families, according to the
house of their fathers.
These also are the generations of Aaron and Mo-
ses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in
mount Sinai. And these are the names of the sons of
Aaron ; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and
Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron,
the priests which were anointed , whom he consecrated
to minister in the priest's office. And Nadab and Abihu
died before the Lord, when they oflfered strange fire
before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they
had no children : and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered
in the priest's office in the siglit of Aaron their father.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the
tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron
[ 392 ]
Ill] NUMBERS
the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they
shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole
congregation before the tabernacle of the congrega-
tion, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they
shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of
the congregation, and the charge of the children of
Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. And thou
shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons :
they are wholly given unto him out of the children
of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons,
and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the
stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. And
the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. And I, behold,
I have taken the Levites from among the children
of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the
matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the
Levites shall be mine; because all the firstborn are
mine ; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in
the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the first-
born in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they
be: I am the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness
of Sinai, saying, Number the children of Levi after
the house of their fathers, by their families: every
male from a month old and upward shalt thou num-
ber them. And Moses numbered them according to
I. [ 393 ] n2
NUMBERS [III
the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. And
these were the sons of Levi by their names ;Gershon,
and Kohath, and Merari. And these are the names
of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and
Shimei. And the sons of Kohath by their families ;
Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the
sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi.
These are the famihes of the Levites according to
the house of their fathers. Of Gershon was the fa-
mily of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites:
these are the families of the Gershonites. Those that
were numbered of them, according to the number of
all the males, from a month old and upward, even
those that were numbered of them were seven thou-
sand and five hundred. The families of the Gershon-
ites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward. And
the chief of the house of the father of the Gershon-
ites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. And the charge
of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the con-
gregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the
covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation, and the hangings
of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court,
which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round
about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites,
[ 394 ]
Ill] NUMBERS
and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of
the Hebronites,and the family of the Uzzielites: these
are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of
all the males, from a month old and upward, were
eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge
of the sanc^tuary. The families of the sons of Kohath
shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
And the chief of the house of the father of the fa-
milies of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son
of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark, and the
table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the ves-
sels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and
the hanging, and all the service thereof. And Eleazar
the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the
chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them
that keep the charge o^ the san6tuary.
Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the
family of the Mushites : these are the families of Me-
rari. And those that were numbered of them, accord-
ing to the number of all the males, from a month old
and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
And the chief of the house of the father of the fa-
milies of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail : these
shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.
And under the custody and charge of the sons of
Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the
[ 595 ]
NUMBERS [III
bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets
thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serv-
eth thereto, and the pillars of the court round about,
and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
But those that encamp before the tabernacle to-
ward the east, even before the tabernacle of the con-
gregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and
his sons, keeping the charge of the san6luary for the
charge of the children of Israel ; and the stranger
that Cometh nigh shall be put to death. All that were
numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron
numbered at the commandment of the Lord, through-
out their families, all the males from a month old and
upward, were twenty and two thousand.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the
firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from
a month old and upward, and take the number of
their names. And thou shalt take the Levites for me
(I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among
the children of Israel ; and the cattle of the Levites
instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the
children of Israel. And Moses numbered, as the Lord
commanded him, all the firstborn among the chil-
dren of Israel. And all the firstborn males by the
number of names, from a month old and upward,
of those that were numbered of them, were twenty
[ 396 ]
IV] NUMBERS
and two thousand two hundred and threescore and
thirteen.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the
Levites instead of all the firstborn among the chil-
dren of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead
of their cattle; and. the Levites shall be mine: I am
the Lord. And for those that are to be redeemed of
the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the
firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more
than tlie Levites; thou shalt even take five shekels
apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the san6tuary
shalt thou take them : ( the shekel is twenty gerahs : )
and thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd
number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and
to his sons. And Moses took the redemption money
of them that were over and above them that were
redeemed by the Levites: of the firstborn of the chil-
dren of Israel took he the money ; a thousand three
hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the
shekel of the san6luary : and Moses gave the money
of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his
sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord
commanded Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying, Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from
among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the
[ 397 ]
NUMBERS tiv
house of their fathers, from thirty years old and up-
ward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the
host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congre-
gation. This shall be the service of the sons of Ko-
hath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the
most holy things.
And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall
come, and his sons, and they shall take down the co-
vering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
and shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins,
and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and
shall put in the staves thereof. And upon the table
of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and
put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls,
and covers to cover withal : and the continual bread
shall be thereon: and they shall spread upon them
a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering
of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the
candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs,
and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof,
wherewith they minister unto it: and they shall put it
and all the vessels thereof within a covering of bad-
gers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar. And upon the
golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and
cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall
[ 398 ]
rv] NUMBERS
put to the staves thereof: and they shall take all the
instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in
the san6luary, and put them in a cloth of hlue, and
cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and
shall put them on a bar: and they shall take away
the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth
thereon: and they shall put upon it all the vessels
thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the
censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the ba-
sons, all the vessels of the altar ; and they shall spread
upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the
staves of it. And when Aaron and his sons have made
an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels
of the san6luary , as the camp is to set forward ; after
that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but
they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.
These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath
in the tabernacle of the congregation.
And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the
priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet
incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anoint-
ing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and
of all that therein is, in the san6luary , and in the ves-
sels thereof.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron ,
saying. Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the
[ 399 ]
NUMBERS [IV
Kohathites from among the Levites : but thus do unto
them, that they may live, and not die, when they ap-
proach unto the most holy things : Aaron and his sons
shall go in, and appoint them every one to his ser-
vice and to his burden : but they shall not go in to
see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take
also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the
houses of their fathers, by their families ; from thirty
years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou
number them ; all that enter in to perform the ser-
vice, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congre-
gation. This is the service of the families of the Ger-
shonites, to serve, and for burdens: and they shall
bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle
of the congregation, his covering, and the covering
of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the
hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the con-
gregation, and the hangings of the court, and the
hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which
is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and
their cords, and all the instruments of their service,
and all that is made for them : so shall they serve.
At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all
the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their
burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint
[ 400 ]
IV] NUMBERS
unto them in charge all their burdens. This is the
service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the
tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall
be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the
priest.
As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them
after their families, by the house of their fathers;
from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty
years old shalt thou number them, every one that
entereth into the service, to do the v/ork of the ta-
bernacle of the congregation. And this is the charge
of their burden, according to all their service in the
tabernacle of the congregation ; the boards of the ta-
bernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof,
and sockets thereof, and the pillars of the court round
about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their
cords, with all their instruments, and with all their
service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments
of the charge of their burden. This is the service of
the families of the sons of Merari, according to all
their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation,
under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the
priest.
And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the con-
gregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after
their families, and after the house of their fathers,
[ ^01 ]
NUMBERS [IV
from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty
years old, every one that entereth into the service,
for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation :
and those that were numbered of them by their fa-
milies were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
These were they that were numbered of the fami-
lies of the Kohathites, all that might do service in
the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and
Aaron did number according to the commandment
of the Lord by the hand of Moses. And those that
were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout
their families, and by the house of their fathers, from
thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years
old, every one that entereth into the service, for the
work in the tabernacle of the congregation, even
those that were numbered of them, throughout their
families, by the house of their fathers, were two thou-
sand and six hundred and thirty. These are they that
were numbered of the families of the sons of Ger-
shon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle
of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did
number according to the commandment of the Lord.
And those that were numbered of the families of
the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the
house of their fathers, from thirty years old and up-
ward even unto fifty years old, every one that enter-
[ 4>0^2 ]
V] NUMBERS
eth into the service, for the work in tlic tabernacle
of the congregation, even those that were numbered
of tliem after tlieir families, were three thousand and
two hundred. These be those that were numbered
of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses
and Aaron numbered according to the word of the
Lord by the hand of Moses. All those that were num-
bered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and
the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and
after the house of their fathers, from thirty years
old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one
that came to do the service of the ministry, and the
service of the burden in the tabernacle of the con-
gregation, even those tliat were numbered of them,
were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
According to the commandment of the Lord they
were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one ac-
cording to his service, and according to his burden:
thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord com-
manded Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Com-
mand the children of Israel, that they put out of the
camp every leper, and ever}^ one that hath an issue,
and whosoever is defiled by the dead : both male and
female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye
put them; that they defile not their camps, in the
[ 403 ]
NUMBERS [V
midst whereof I dwell. And the children of Israel did
so, and put them out without the camp: as the Lord
spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman
shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a tres-
pass against the Lord, and that person be guilty ; then
they shall confess their sin which they have done:
and he shall recompense his trespass with the prin-
cipal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof,
and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.
But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the
trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto
the Lord, even to the priest; beside the ram of the
atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for
him. And every offering of all the holy things of the
children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest,
shall be his. And every man's hallowed things shall
be his : whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall
be his.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. If any
man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against
him, and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid
from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and
she be defiled, and there be no witness against her,
[ 404 ]
V] NUMBERS
neither she be taken with the manner; and the spirit
of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his
wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy
come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and
she be not defiled: then shall the man bring his wife
unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her,
the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal ; he shall
pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon ; for
it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial,
bringing iniquity to remembrance. And the priest
shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord:
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen
vessel ; and of the dust that is in the floor of the ta-
bernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the wa-
ter: and the priest shall set the woman before the
Lord, and uncover the woman's head, and put the
offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jea-
lousy offering : and the priest shall have in his hand
the bitter water that causeth the curse : and the priest
shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the wo-
man. If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast
not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead
of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water
that causeth the curse : but if thou hast gone aside
to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be de-
filed, and some man have lain with thee beside thine
[ 405 ]
NUMBERS [V
husband: then the priest shall charge the woman
with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say un-
to the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an
oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make
thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell ; and this wa-
ter that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels,
to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot. And
the woman shall say. Amen, amen. And the priest
shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot
them out with the bitter water: and he shall cause
the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the
curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter
into her, and become bitter. Then the priest shall take
the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and
shall wave the offering before the Lord, and offer it
upon the altar: and the priest shall take an handful
of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn
it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the wo-
man to drink the water. And when he hath made her
to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that,
if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her
husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall
enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall
swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall
be a curse among her people. And if the woman be
not defiled, but be clean ; then she shall be free, and
[ 4.^>^ ]
VI] NUMBERS
shall conceive seed. This is the law of jealousies,
when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her
husband, and is defiled; or when the spirit of jea-
lousy Cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his
wife, and shall set the woman before the Lord, and
the priest shall execute upon her all this law. Then
shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this wo-
man shall bear her iniquity.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When
either man or woman shall separate themselves to
vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto
the Lord: he shall separate himself from wine and
strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or
vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any
liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All
the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that
is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to
the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation
there shall no razor come upon his head: until the
days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself
unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks
of the hair of his head grow. All the days that he sepa-
rateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead
body. He shall not make himself unclean for his fa-
ther, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his
[ 407 ]
NUMBERS [VI
sister, when they die : because the consecration of his
God is upon his head. All the days of his separation
he is holy unto the Lord. And if any man die very
suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his
consecration ; then he shall shave his head in the day
of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave
it. And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles,
or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation: and the priest
shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other
for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him,
for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his
head that same day. And he shall consecrate unto
the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring
a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but
the days that were before shall be lost, because his
separation was defiled.
And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days
of his separation are fulfilled : he shall be brought
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation :
and he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he
lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt
offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without
blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without ble-
mish for peace offerings, and a basket of unleavened
bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wa-
[ 4-08 ]
VI] NUMBERS
fers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their
meat offering, and their drink offerings. And the
priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall
offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: and he
shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings
unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread :
the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his
drink offering. And the Nazarite shall shave the head
of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of
his separation, and put it in the fire which is under
the sacrifice of the peace offerings. And the priest
shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one
unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unlea-
vened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of
theNazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:
and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering
before the Lord: this is holy for the priest, with the
wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the
Nazarite may drink wine. This is the law of the Naza-
rite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the
Lord for his separation, beside that that his hand shall
get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he
must do after the law^ of his separation.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying. On this wise ye
[ 409 ]
NUMBERS tvii
shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make
his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give
thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the
children of Israel; and I will bless them.
And it came to pass on the day that Moses had
fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and
sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the
altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed
them, and san6lified them; that the princes of Israel,
heads of the house of their fathers, who were the
princes of the tribes, and were over them that were
numbered, offered: and they brought their offering
before the Lord, six covered wagons, and twelve
oxen ; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each
one an ox : and they brought them before the taber-
nacle. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Take
it of them, that they may be to do the service of the
tabernacle of the congregation ; and thou shalt give
them unto the Levites, to every man according to
his service. And Moses took the wagons and the
oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. Two wagons
and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon,
according to their service : and four wagons and eight
oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according un-
[ 410 ]
VII] NUMBERS
to their service, under the hand of Ithaiiiar the son
of Aaron the priest. But unto tlie sons of Kohath he
gave none: because the service of the san6luary be-
longing unto them was that they should bear upon
their shoulders.
And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar
in the day that it was anointed, even the princes
offered their offering before the altar. And the Lord
said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each
prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
And he that offered his offering the first day was
Nahshon the son of Amminadab,of the tribe of Ju-
dah: and his offering was one silver charger, the
weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels,
one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel
of the san6>uary ; both of them were full of fine flour
mingled with oil for a meat offering: one spoon of
ten shekels of gold, full of incense: one young bul-
lock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt
offering: one kid of the goats for a sin offering: and
for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams,
five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was
the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar,
prince of Issachar, did offer: he offered for his offer-
ing one silver charger, the weight whereof was an
[ 'ill ]
NUMBERS [VII
hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of se-
venty shekels, after the shekel of the san6luary ; both
of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: one spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of in-
cense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering : one kid of the goats
for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace offer-
ings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year : this was the offering of Nethaneel
the son of Zuar.
On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince
of the children of Zebulun, did offer : his offering was
one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hun-
dred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the san6luary; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of in-
cense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering: one kid of the goats
for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace offer-
ings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year : this was the offering of Eliab the
son of Helon.
On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur.
prince of the children of Reuben, did offer: his offer-
ing was one silver charger of the weight of an hun -
[ 412 J
VII] NUMBERS
dred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary ; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
ottering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of in-
cense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt oflfering: one kid of the goats
for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace oflTer-
ings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the
son of Shedeur.
On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,
j)nnce of the children of Simeon, did oflfer : his offer-
ing was one silver charger, the weight whereof was
an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of
seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary;
both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full
of incense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb
of the first year, for a burnt offering : one kid of the
goats for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace of-
ferings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel
the son of Zurishaddai.
On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince
of the children of Gad, offered: his offering was one
silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty
[ 413 ]
NUMBERS [VH
shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the
shekel of the san6hiary; both of them full of fine
flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: one golden
spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: one young bul-
lock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt
offering: one kid of the goats for a sin offering: and
for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams,
five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was
the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud,
prince of the children of Ephraim, oflfered: his offer-
ing was one silver charger, the weight whereof was
an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of
seventy shekels, after the shekel of the san6fuary;
both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full
of incense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb
of the first year, for a burnt offering: one kid of the
goats for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five
lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eli-
shama the son of Ammihud.
On the eighth day offered Gamaliel tlie son of Pe-
dahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh : his of-
fering was one silver charger of the weight of an
hundred and thirty sliekels, one silver bowl of se-
[ 414 ]
VII] NUMBERS
venty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both
of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of in-
cense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering: one kid of the goats
for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace offer-
ings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel
the son of Pedahzur.
On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince
of the children of Benjamin, offered : his offering was
one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hun-
dred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the san6fuary; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of in-
cense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering : one kid of the goats
for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace offer-
ings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the
son of Gideoni.
On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai,
prince of the children of Dan, offered: his offering
was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an
hundred andthirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy
[ 415 ]
NUMBERS [VII
shekels, after tlie shekel of the sanft uary ; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
oflfering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of in-
cense: one young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering: one kid of the goats
for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of peace offer-
ings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year : this was the offering of Ahiezer the
son of Ammishaddai.
On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince
of the children of Asher, offered: his offering was one
silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred
and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy she-
kels, after the shekel of the san(5f uary ; both of them
full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offer-
ing : one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense :
one young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first
year, for a burnt offering : one kid of the goats for a
sin oflTering: and for a sacrifice of peace oflferings, two
oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first
year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.
On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince
of the children of Naphtali, oflfered: his offering was
one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hun-
dred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the san61:uary; both of
[ 416 ]
VII] NUMBERS
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of in-
cense: one young hullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering: one kid of the goats
for a sin offering : and for a sacrifice of j)eace offer-
ings, two oxen, live rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son
of Enan. This was the dedication of the altar, in the
da}' when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel:
twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve
spoons of gold : each charger of silver weighing an
hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventh all the
silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hun-
dred shekels, after the shekel of the san6fuary : the
golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weigh-
ing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanc-
tuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and
twenty shekels. All the oxen for the burnt offering
were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of
the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and
the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve. And all
the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings w^ere
twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty , the he goats
sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the
dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed. And
when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the con-
I [ 417 ] o
NUMBERS [VIII
gregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice
of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat
that was upon the ark of testimony, from between
the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.^- .,
And the Lord spake unto Moses, sayin'g',' 'Speak
unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest
the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light-over against
the candlestick. And Aaron did so; he lighted the
lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the
Lord commanded Moses. And this work of the can-
dlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof,
unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work : accord-
ing unto the pattern which the Lord had shewed Mo-
ses, so he made the candlestick. u-^io
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Take
the Levites from among the children of Israel, and
cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to
cleanse them : Sprinkle water of purifying upon them,
and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash
their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then
let them take a young bullock with his meat offer-
ing, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another
young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. And
thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of
the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole
assembly of the children of Israel together: and thou
[ 418 ]
villi NUMBERS
shalt bring the Levites before the Lord : and the chil-
dren of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lordfor
an offering of the cliildren of Israel, that they may
execute the service of the Ix)rd. And the Levites shall
lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and
thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the
other for a burnt offering, unto the Lord, to make
an atonement for the Levites. And thou shalt set the
Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer
them for an offering unto the Lord. Thus shalt thou
separate the Levites from among the children of Is-
rael : and the Levites shall be mine. And after that
shall the Levites go in to do the service of the ta-
bernacle of the congregation : and thou shalt cleanse
them, and offer them for an offering. For they are
wholly given unto me from among the children of
Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even
instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel,
have I taken them unto me. For all the firstborn of
the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast:
on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land
of Egypt I san6fified them for myself. And I have
taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children
of Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to
Aaron and to his sons from among the children of
[ 419 ]
NUMBERS [VIII
Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in
the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an
atonement for the children of Israel: that there be
no plague among the children of Israel, when the
children of Israel come nigh unto the san6luary. And
Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the
children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto
all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the
Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. And
the Levites were purified, and they washed their
clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering be-
fore the Lord; and Aaron made an atonement for
them to cleanse them. And after that went the Le-
vites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the
congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as
the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Le-
vites, so did they unto them.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. This is
it that belongeth unto the Levites : from twenty and
five years old and upward they shall go in to wait
upon the service of the tabernacle of the congrega-
tion: and from the age of fifty years they sliall cease
waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no
more: but shall minister with their brethren in the
tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge,
and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the
[ 4^10 ]
IX] NUMBERS
Levites touching their charge.
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilder-
ness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year
after they were come out of the land of Egypt, say-
ing, Let the children of Israel also keep the passover
at his appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this
month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed sea-
son : according to all the rites of it, and according to
all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. And
Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they
should keep the passover. And they kept the pass-
over on the fourteenth day of the first month at even
in the wilderness of Sinai : according to all that the
Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of
Israel.
And there were certain men, who were defiled by
the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the
passover on that day : and they came before Moses
and before Aaron on that day: and those men said
unto him. We are defiled by the dead body of a man :
wherefore are we kept back, that we may not of-
fer an offering of the Lord in his appointed season
among the children of Israel ? And Moses said unto
them, Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will
command concerning you.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
[ 421 ]
NUMBERS [IX
unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of
you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason
of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he
shall keep the passover unto the Lord. The four-
teenth day of the second month at even they shall
keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter
herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morn-
ing, lior break any bone of it: according to all the
ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. But
the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and
forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul
shall be cut off from among his people: because he
brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed
season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger
shall sojourn among you, and will keep the pass-
over unto the Lord ; according to the ordinance of
the passover, and according to the manner thereof,
so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for
the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up
the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent
of the testimony: and at even there was upon the
tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until
the morning. So it was alway : the cloud covered it
by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And
when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle,
[ V2i> J
1X3 NUMBERS
then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and
in the place where the cloud abode, there the chil-
dren of Israel pitched their tents. At the command-
ment of the Lord the children of Israel Journeyed,
and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched:
as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they
rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried
long upon the tabernacle many days, then the chil-
dren of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and jour-
neyed not. And so it was, when the cloud was a few^
days upon the tabernacle; according to the com-
mandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and
according to the commandment of the Lord they
journeyed. And so it was, when the cloud abode from
even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken
up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it
was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up,
they journeyed. Or whether it were two days, or a
month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the ta-
bernacle, remaining diereon, the children of Israel
abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it
was taken up, they journeyed. At the commandment
of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the com-
mandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept
the charge of the Lord, at the conmiandment of the
Lord by the hand of Moses.
[ 423 ]
NUMBERS [X
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Make
thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt
thou make them : that thou mayest use them for the
calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of
the camps. And when they shall blow with them, all
the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And
if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes,
which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall ga-
ther themselves unto thee. When ye blow an alarm,
then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go for-
ward. When ye blow an alarm the second time, then
the camps that lie on the south side shall take their
journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
But when the congregation is to be gathered together,
ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. And
the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the
trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance
for ever throughout your generations. And if ye go
to war in your land against the enemy that oppress-
eth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with llie trum-
pets ; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord
your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn
days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall
blow with the ti'umpets over youi' burnt otferings,
i 4■^>4 J
X] NUMBERS
and over the sacrifices of your peace otteriiigs ; tliat
they may be to you for a memorial before your God:
I am the Lord your God.
And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the
second month, in the second year, that the cloud was
taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of
the wilderness of Sinai ; and the cloud rested in the
wilderness of Paran. And they first took their jour-
ney according to the commandment of the Lord by
the hand of Moses.
In the first place went the standard o\ the camp
of the children of Judah according to their armies:
and over his host was Nahshon the son of Ammina-
dab. And over the host of the tribe of the children
of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. And over
the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was
Eliab the son of Helon. And the tabernacle was ta-
ken down ; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of
Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
And the standard of the camp of Reuben set for-
ward according to their armies: and over his host
was EHzur the son of Shedeur. And over the host of
the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel
the son of Zurishaddai. And over the host of the
tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of
I [ 42.5 ] oJi
NUMBERS [X
Deuel. And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the
san6luary: and the other did set up the tabernacle
against they came.
And the standard of the camp of the children of
Ephraim set forward according to their armies : and
over his host w^as Elishama the son of Ammihud.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Ma-
nasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. And over
the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was
Abidan the son of Gideoni.
And the standard of the camp of the children of
Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the
camps throughout their hosts : and over his host was
Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. And over the host
of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the
son of Ocran. And over the host of the tribe of the
children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.Thus
were the journeyings of the children of Israel accord-
ing to their armies, when they set forward.
And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel
the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are jour-
neying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will
give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee
good : for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Is-
rael. And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will
depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. And
[ 426 ]
XI] NUMBERS
he said, Leave us not, I pray tliee ; forasmuch as thou
knovvest how we are to encamp in the wilderness,
and thou mayest he to us instead of eyes. And it shall
he, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what good-
ness the Ix>rd shall do unto us, the same will we do
unto thee.
And they departed from the mount of the Ix)rd
three days' journey : and the ark of the covenant of
the Lord went before tliem in the three days' jour-
ney, to search out a resting place for them. And the
cloud of the Lord was upon them b}^ day, when they
went out of the camp. And it came to pass, when
the ark set forward, that Moses said. Rise up. Lord,
and let thine enemies be scattered ; and let them that
hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he
said. Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of
Israel.
And when the people complained, it displeased
the Lord : and the Lord heard it ; and his anger was
kindled ; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them,
and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts
of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and
when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was
quenched. And he called the name of the place Ta-
berah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among
them.
[ 427 ]
numbf:rs [XI
And the mixt multitude that was among them fell
a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again,
and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remem-
ber the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the
cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the
onions, and the garlick: but now our soul is dried
away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, be-
fore our eyes. And the manna was as coriander seed,
and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. And
the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it
in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans,
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.
Then Moses heard the people weep throughout
their families, every man in the door of his tent: and
the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly ; Moses
also was displeased. And Moses said unto the Lord,
Wherefore hast thou affli6tedthy servant.? and where-
fore 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 begotten them,
that thou sliouldest say unto me. Carry them in thy
bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child,
unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers.?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this peo-
[ 4ii8 J
XI] NUMBERS
pie? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh,
that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this peo-
ple alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou
deal thus with mo, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand,
if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not
see my wretchedness.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me se-
venty men of the elders of Israel, whom thou know-
est to be the elders of the people, and officers over
them ; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the con-
gregation, that they may stand there with thee. And
I will come down and talk with thee there: and I
will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put
it upon them ; and they shall bear the burden of the
people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
And say thou unto the people, San6fify yourselves
against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye
have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying. Who shall
give us flesh to eat.^ for it was well with us in Egypt:
therefore the Lord 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 even a
whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and
it be loathsome unto you : because that ye have de-
spised the Lord which is among you, and have wept
before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt .?
[ 429 ]
NUMBERS [XI
And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are
six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said,
I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole
month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for
them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea
be gathered together for them, to suflice them? And
the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord's hand waxed
short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall
come to pass unto thee or not.
And Moses went out, and told the people the words
of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the
elders of the people, and set them round about the
tabernacle. And the Lord came down in a cloud, and
spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon
him, and gave it unto the seventy elders : and it came
to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they
prophesied, and did not cease. But there remained
two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was
Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the
spirit rested upon them ; and they were of them that
were written, but v/ent not out unto the tabernacle:
and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a
young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and
Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son
of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men,
answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And
[ 430 J
XII] NUMBERS
Moses said unto him, Envicst thou for my sake?
would God that all the Ix)rd's people were prophets,
and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them !
And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the eld-
ers of Israel.
And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and
brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the
camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and
as it were a day's journey on the other side, round
about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon
the face of the earth. And the people stood up all
that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and
they gathered the quails : he that gathered least ga-
thered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad
for themselves round about the camp. And while the
flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed,
the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the peo-
ple, and the Lord smote the people with a very great
plague. And he called the name of tliat place Kib-
roth-hattaavah : because there they buried the people
that lusted. And the people journeyed from Kibroth-
hattaavah unto Hazerodi; and abode at Hazeroth.
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses be-
cause of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married:
for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they
said. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses.?
[ 431 ]
NUMBERS [xir
hath he not spoken also by us ? And the Lord heard
it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all
the men which were upon the face of the earth. )
And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and un-
to Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto
the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three
came out. And the Lord came down in the pillar
of the cloud, and stood in the door of the taber-
nacle, and called Aaron and Miriam : and they both
came forth. And he said. Hear now my words: If
there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make
myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak
unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so,
who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I
speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in
dark speeches ; and the similitude of the Lord shall
he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to
speak against my servant Moses ? And the anger of
the Lord was kindled against them ; and he departed.
And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and,
behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and
Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was
leprous. And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord,
I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we
have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half
[ 432 ]
XIII] NUMBERS
consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.
And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal lier
now, O God, I beseech tliee.
And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had
but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven
days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days,
and after that let her be received in again. And
Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and
the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in
again. And afterward the people removed from Ha-
zeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Send
thou men, that tliey may search the land of Canaan,
which I give unto the children of Israel : of every
tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one
a ruler among them. And Moses by the command-
ment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of
Paran: all those men were heads of the children of
Israel. And these were their names: of the tribe of
Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. Of the tribe
of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. Of the tribe of
Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Of the tribe of
Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. Of the tribe of Eph-
raim, Oshea the son of Nun. Of the tribe of Ben-
jamin, Palti the son of Raphu. Of the tribe of Ze-
bulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. Of the tribe of Joseph,
[ 4^33 1
NUMBERS [XIII
namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of
Susi. Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. Of
the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. Of
the tribe of Gad, Geiiel the son of Machi. These are
the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out
the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun
Jehoshua.
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Ca-
naan, and said unto them. Get you up this way south-
ward, and go up into the mountain : and see the land,
what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein,
whether they be strong or weak, few or many; and
what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good
or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in,
whether in tents, or in strong holds ; and what the
land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be
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 firstripe grapes.
So they went up, and searched the land from the
wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Ha-
math. And they ascended by the south, and came unto
Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the
children of Anak, were. ( Now Hebron was built se-
ven years before Zoan in Egypt. ) And they came
L '^^4 ]
XIII] NUMBERS
unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence
a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare
it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the
}X)megranates, and of the figs. The place was called
the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes
which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
And they returned from searching of the land after
forty days.
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron,
and to all the congregation of the children of Israel,
unto the wilderness of Paran,to Kadesh ; and brought
back word unto them, and unto all the congregation,
and shewed 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. Nevertheless the people be
strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled,
and very great: and moreover we saw the children
of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of
the south : and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the
Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaan-
ites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of 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 be not able to go up against the people;
[ 4'55 ]
NUMBERS [XIV
for they are stronger than we. And they brought up
an evil report of the land which they had searched
unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through
which we have gone to search it, is a land that eat-
eth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that
we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there
we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of
the giants : and we were in our own sight as grass-
hoppers, and so we were in their sight.
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and
cried ; and the people wept that night. And all the chil-
dren of Israel murmured against Moses and against
Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them.
Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt!
or would God we had died in this wilderness! And
wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land,
to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children
should be a prey ^ were it not better for us to return
into Egypt ? And they said one to another. Let us make
a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses
and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly
of the congregation of the children of Israel.
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the
land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the
company of the children of Israel, saying, The land,
[ r66 ]
XIV] NUMBERS
which we passed through to search it, is an exceed-
ing good huid. If the Lord delight in us, then lie will
bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which
floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye
against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the
land ; for they are bread for us : their defence is de-
parted from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them
not.
But all the congregation bade stone them with
stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the
tabernacle of the congregation before all the chil-
dren of Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, How
long will this people provoke me.^ and how long will
it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I
have shewed among them.? I will smite them with
the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of
thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyp-
tians shall hear it, ( for thou broughtest up this peo-
ple in thy might from among them ; ) and they will
tell It to the inhabitants of this land : for they have
heard that thou Lord art among this people, that
thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud
standeth over them, and that thou goest before them,
by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of
fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill all this people
[ 437 ]
NUMBERS [XIV
as one man, then the nations which have heard the
fame of thee will speak, saying, Because the Lord was
not able to bring this people into the land which he
sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the
wilderness. And now, I beseech thee, let the power
of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken,
saying , The Lord is longsuffering , and of great m ercy ,
forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means
clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and fourth genera-
tion. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this peo-
ple according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and
as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even
until now.
And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to
thy word: but as truly as I live, all the earth shall be
filled with the glory of the Lord. Because all those
men which have seen my glory, and my miracles,
which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have
tempted me now these ten times, and have not heark-
ened to my voice; surely they shall not see the land
which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of
them that provoked me see it: but my servant Caleb,
because he had another spirit with him , and hath fol-
lowed me fully, him will I bring into the land where-
into he went; and his seed shall possess it. (Now the
[ 438 ]
XIV] NUMBERS
Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley. )
To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilder-
ness by the way of the Red sea.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying, How long shall I bear with this evil con-
gregation, which murmur against me? I have heard
the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they
murmur against me. Say unto them. As truly as 1
live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears,
so will I do to you: your carcases shall fall in this
wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, ac-
cording to your whole number, from twenty years
old and upward, which have murmured against me,
doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning
which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb
the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But
your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them
will I bring in, and they shall know the land which
ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they
shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall
wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your
whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wil-
derness. After the number of the days in which ye
searched the land, even forty days, each day for a
year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years,
and ye shall know my breach of promise. I the Lord
[ 439 ]
NUMBERS [XIV
have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil con-
gregation, that are gathered together against me: in
this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there
they shall die. And the men, which Moses sent to
search the land, who returned, and made all the con-
gregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a
slander upon the land, even those men that did bring
up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague
before the Lord. But Joshua the son of Nun, and
Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men
that went to search the land, lived still. And Moses
told these things unto all the children of Israel: and
the people mourned greatly.
And they rose up early in the morning, and gat
them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo,
we be here, and will go up unto the place which the
Lord hath promised : for we have sinned. And Moses
said. Wherefore now do ye transgress the command-
ment of the Lord ^ but it shall not prosper. Go not up,
for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smit-
ten before your enemies. For the Amalekites and the
Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall
by the sword : because ye are turned away from the
Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you. But
they presumed to go up unto the hill top: neverthe-
less the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses,
[ 440 J
XV] NUMBERS
departed not out of the camp. Then the Amalekites
came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that
hili, and smote them, and discomfited them, even un-
to Hormah.
And the Jjovd spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When
ye be come into the land of your habitations, which
I give unto you, and will make an offering by fire
unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in per-
forming a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your
solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord,
of the herd, or of the flock : then shall he that of-
fereth his offering unto the Lord bring a meat offer-
ing of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth
part of an hin of oil. And the fourth part of an hin
of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with
the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. Or for a
ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth
deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin
of oil. And for a drink oifering thou shalt offer the
third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour un-
to the Lord. And when thou preparest a bullock for a
burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow,
or peace offerings unto the Lord : then shall he bring
with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals
of flour mingled with half an liin of oil. And thou
[ 441 ]
NUMBERS [XV
shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine,
for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the Lord. Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or
for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid. According to the
number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every
one according to their number. All that are born of
the country shall do these things after this manner,
in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet sa-
vour unto the Lord. And if a stranger sojourn with
you, or whosoever be among you in your genera-
tions, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a
sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall
do; One ordinance shall be both for you of the con-
gregation, and also for the stranger that sojourn eth
with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations:
as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.
One law and one manner shall be for you, and for
tlie stranger that sojourneth with you.
,, And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When
ye come into the land whither I bring you, then it
^hall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land,
ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the Lord. Ye
shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for
an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the
jthriqshingfloor,, so shall ye heave it. Of the first of
[ -^^- ]
3^yJi NUMBERS
your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave
offering in your generations.
■olA-iid if ye have erred, and not observed all these
commandments, which the Lord hatli spoken unto
Moses^ even all that the Lord hath commanded you
by the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord
commanded Moses, and henceforward among your
generations; then it shall be, if ought be commit-
ted by ignorance without the knowledge of the con-
gregation, that all the congregation shall offer one
young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet sa-
vour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his
drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid
of the goats for a sin offering. And the priest shall
make an atonement for all the congregation of the
children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for
it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a
sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin
offering before the Lord, for theirs ignorance: and it
shall.be forgiven all the congregation of the children
of Israel, and the stranger that sojourn eth among
them ; seeing all the people were in ignorance.
I,- And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he
shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin of-
fering. And the priest shall make an atonement for
the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by
[ i^3 ]
NUMBERS [XV
ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for
him; and it shall be forgiven him. Ye shall have one
law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for
him that is born among the children of Israel, and
for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously,
whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the
same reproacheth the Lord ; and that soul shall be
cut off from among his people. Because he hath de-
spised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his
commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his
iniquity shall be upon him.
And while the children of Israel were in the wil-
derness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon
the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering
sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto
all the congregation. And they put him in ward, be-
cause it was not declared what should be done to
him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be
surely put to death : all the congregation shall stone
him with stones without the camp. And all the con-
gregation brought him without the camp, and stoned
him with stones, and he died ; as the Lord commanded
Moses.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they
[ 444 ]
XVI] NUMBERS
make them fringes in the borders of their garments
throughout their generations, and that they put upon
the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue : and it
shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look
upon it, and remember all the commandments of the
Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your
own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use
to go a whoring: that ye may remember, and do all
my commandments, and be holy unto your (rod. I
am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the
land of Egypt, to be your God : I am the Lord your
God.
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath,
the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons
of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben,
took men: and they rose up before Moses, with cer-
tain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty
princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation,
men of renown : and they gathered themselves to-
gether against Moses and against Aaron, and said
unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all
the congregation are holy, every one of them, and
the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up
yourselves above the congregation of the Lord ? And
when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: and he
spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying,
[ 445 ]
NUMBERS [XVI
Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and
who is holy; and will cause him to come near' iinto
him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause
to come near unto him. This do: Take you censers,
Korah, and all his company ; and put fire therein, and
put incense in them before the Lord to morrow : and
it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose,
he shall be holy : ye take too much upon you, ye sons
of Levi. And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray
you, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing
unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you
from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near
to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the
Lord, and to stand before the congregation to mi-
nister unto them .^ And he hath brought thee near to
him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee:
and seek ye the priesthood also.^ For which cause
both thou and all thy company are gathered together
against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye mur-
mur against him ?
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the
sons of Eliab: which said. We will not come up: is
it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of
a land that fioweth with milk and honey, to kill us in
the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether
a prince over us? Moreover thoil hast not brought us
[ 446 ]
XVI] NUMBERS
into a land that flowethwith milk and honey , or given
us inheritance 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 the Lord, Re-
spert not thou their offering : I have not taken one
ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. And
Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company
before the Lord, thou, and tliey, and Aaron, to mor-
row : and take every man his censer, and put incense
in tliem, and bring ye before the Lord every man
his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also,
and Aaron, each of you his censer. And they took
every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid
incense thereon, and stood in the door of the taber-
nacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
And Korah gathered all the congregation against
them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congre-
gation : and tlie glory of the Lord appeared unto all
the congregation. And the Lord spake unto Moses
and unto Aaron, saying. Separate yourselves from
among this congregation, that I may consume them
in a moment. And they fell upon their faces, and said,
O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one
man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congre-
gation ?
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
[ '^•4' ]
NUMBERS [XVI
unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about
the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And
Moses rose up and went unto Datlian and Abiram ;
and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake
unto the congregation, saying. Depart, I pray you,
from the tents of these wicked men, and touch no-
thing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan,
and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram
came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and
their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord
hath sent me to do all these works ; for I 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 the Lord hath not sent
me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth
open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that
appertain unto them, and they go down quick into
the pit ; then ye shall understand that these men have
provoked the Ix>rd.
And it came to pass, as he had made an end of
speaking all these words, that the ground clave asun-
der that was under them : and the earth opened her
mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses,
and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all
[ 448 J
XVI] NUMBERS
their goods. They, and all that appertained to them,
went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed
upon theni : and they perished from among the con-
gregation. And all Israel that were round ahout them
fled at the cry of them : for they said. Lest the earth
swallow us up also. x\nd there came out a fire from
the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty
men that offered incense.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
unto Eleazar the son of x\aron the priest, that he take
up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the
fire yonder; for they are hallowed. The censers of
these sinners against their own souls, let them make
them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they
offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hal-
lowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of
Israel. And Eleazar the priest took the brasen cen-
sers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered;
and they were made broad plates for a covering of
the altar: to be a memorial unto the children of Is-
rael, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of
Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord;
that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the
Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.
But on the morrow all the congregation of the chil-
dren of Israel murmured against Moses and against
I [ 449 ] P
NUMBERS [XVII
Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.
And it came to pass, when the congregation was ga-
thered against Moses and against Aaron, that they
looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation:
and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of
the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron came be-
fore the tabernacle of the congregation.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Get you
up from among this congregation, that I may consume
them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and
put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense,
and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an
atonement for them : for there is wrath gone out from
the Lord; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as
Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the con-
gregation ; and, behold, the plague was begun among
the people: and he put on incense, and made an atone-
ment for the people. And he stood between the dead
and the living ; and the plague was stayed. Now they
that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and
seven hundred, beside them that died about the mat-
ter of Korah. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation : and
the plague was stayed.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak
[ 150 ]
XVII] NUMBERS
unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of
them a rod according to the house of their fathers,
of all their princes according to the house of their fa-
thers twelve rods: write thou every man's name up-
on his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon
the rod of Levi : for one rod shall be for the head of
the house of their fathers. And thou shalt lay them
u{) in the tabernacle of the congregation before the
testimony, where I will meet with you. And it shall
come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose,
shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the
murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they
murmur against you.
And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and
every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for
each prince one, according to their fathers' houses,
even twelve rods : and the rod of Aaron was among
their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the
Lord in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to
pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the taber-
nacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for
the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth
buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
And Moses brought out all the rods from before tlie
Lord unto all the children of Israel : and they looked,
and took every man his rod.
[ ^^1 ]
NUMBERS [XVIII
And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod
again before the testimony, to be kept for a token
against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away
their murmurings from me, that they die not. And
Moses did so: as the Lord commanded him, so did
he. And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, say-
ing, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. Whoso-
ever Cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of
the Lord shall die: shall we be consumed with dy-
ing.?
And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons
and thy father's house with thee shall bear the ini-
quity of the sanctuary : and thou and thy sons witli
thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. And
thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of
thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be
joined unto thee, and minister unto thee : but thou and
thy sons with thee shall minister before the taberna-
cle of witness. And they shall keep thy charge, and
the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not
come nigh the vessels of the san61:uary and the altar,
that neither they, nor ye also, die. And they shall be
joined unto tliee, and keep the charge of the taber-
nacle of the congregation, for all tlie service of the
tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto
you. And ye shall keep the charge of the san6luary,
[ 45ii ]
XVIII] NUMBERS
and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath
any more upon the children of Israel. And I, behold,
I have taken your brethren the Levites from among
the children of Israel : to you they are given as a gift
for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle of
the congregation. Therefore thou and thy sons with
thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing
of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve:
I have given your priest's office unto you as a ser-
vice of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall
be put to death.
And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also
have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings
of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel ;
unto thee have I given them by reason of the anoint-
ing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. This
shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from
the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offer-
ing of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and
every trespass offeringof theirs, which they shall ren-
der unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy
sons. In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every
male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee. And this
is thine ; the heave offering of their gift, with all the
wave offerings of the children of Israel : I liave given
them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daugh-
[ ^->'^ ]
NUMBERS [XVIII
ters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that
is clean in thy house shall eat of it. All the best of the
oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat,
the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the
Lord, them have I given thee. And whatsoever is
first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto
the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in
thine house shall eat of it. Every thing devoted in
Israel shall be thine. Every thing that openeth the
matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the Lord,
whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: ne-
vertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely re-
deem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou
redeem. And those that are to be redeemed from a
month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine es-
timation, for the money of five shekels, after the she-
kel of the san6luary, which is twenty gerahs. But the
firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the
firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem ; they are
holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar,
and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire,
for a sweet savour unto the Lord. And the flesh of
them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the
right shoulder are thine. All the heave offerings of
the holy things, which the children of Israel offer un-
to the Lord, have I given thee, and thy sons and tliy
[ 45-i ]
XVII 1] NUMBERS
daughters with thee, by a statute for evxM': it is a co-
venant of salt for ever before tlie Lord unto thee and
to thy seed with thee.
And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shah have
no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have
any part among them: I am thy part and thine in-
heritance among the children of Israel. And, behold,
I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Is-
rael for an inheritance, for their service which they
serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the con-
gregation. Neither must the children of Israel hence-
forth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation,
lest they bear sin, and die. But the Levites shall do
the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and
they shall bear their iniquity : it shall be a statute for
ever throughout your generations, that among the
children of Israel they have no inheritance. But the
tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an
heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the
Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them.
Among the children of Israel they shall have no in-
heritance.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thus
speak unto the Levites, and say unto them. When
ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I
have given you from them for your inheritance, then
[ 4.55 ]
NUMBERS [XIX
ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord,
even a tenth part of the tithe. And this your heave of-
fering shall he reckoned unto you, as though it were
the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness
of the winepress. Thus ye also shall offer an heave
offering unto the Lord of all your tithes, which ye
receive of the children of Israel ; and ye shall give
thereof the Lord's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offer-
ing of the Lord, of all the best thereof, even the hal-
lowed part thereof out of it. Therefore thou shalt say
unto them. When ye have heaved the best thereof
from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites
as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the in-
crease of the winepress. And ye shall eat it in every
place, ye and your households : for it is your reward
for your service in the tabernacle of the congrega-
tion. And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when
ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall
ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel,
lest ye die.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying. This is the ordinance of the law which the
Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the chil-
dren of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer with-
out spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which
[ 456 ]
XIX] NUMBERS
never came yoke: and ye shall give her unto Elea-
zar the priest, that he ma}^ bring her forth without
the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: and
Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his
finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the
tabernacle of the congregation seven times : and one
shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her
flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
and the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop,
and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning
of the heifer. Then the priest shall wash his clothes,
and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward
he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be
unclean until the even. And he that burneth her shall
wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in wa-
ter, and shall be unclean until the even. And a man
that is clean shall gather up the aslies of the heifer,
and lay them up without the camp in a clean place,
and it shall be kept for the congregation of the chil-
dren of Israel for a water of separation : it is a puri-
fication for sin. And he that gathereth the ashes of
the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean
until the even: and it shall be unto the children of
Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among
them, for a statute for ever.
He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall
I L 457 ] p^
NUMBERS [XIX
be unclean seven days. He shall purify himself with
it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall
be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day,
then the seventh day he shall not be clean. Whoso-
ever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead,
and puriheth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of
the Lord ; and tliat soul shall be cut off from Israel :
because the water of separation was not sprinkled
upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet
upon him. This is the law, when a man dieth in a
tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the
tent, shall be unclean seven days. And every open
vessel, w^hich hath no covering bound upon it, is un-
clean. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with
a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone
of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
And for an unclean person they shall take of the
ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and
running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: and
a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the wa-
ter, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the
vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and
upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one
dead, or a grave: and the clean person shall sprinkle
upon the unclean on the third day, and on the se-
venth day: and on the seventh day he sb^J] purify
XX] NUMBERS
himself, and wash his clotiics, and bathe himseH' in
water, and shall be clean at even. But the man that
shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that
soul shall be cut off from among the congregation,
because he hath defiled the san6tuary of the Lord :
tlie water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon
him ; he is unclean. And it shall be a perpetual statute
unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of sepa-
ration shall wash his clothes ; and he that toucheth the
water of separation shall be unclean until even. And
whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be un-
clean ; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean
until even.
. Then came the children of Israel, even the whole
congregation , into the desert 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 they gathered themselves
together against Moses and against Aaron. And the
people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would
God that we had died when our brethren died be-
fore the Lord ! And why have ye brought up the con-
gregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we
and our cattle should die there ? And wherefore 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,
[ ^-59 ]
NUMBERS [XX
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 taber-
nacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their
faces : and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Take the
rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou,
and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock
before their eyes ; and it shall give forth his water,
and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the
rock : so thou shalt give the congregation and their
beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the
Lord, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron
gathered the congregation together before the rock,
and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels ; must we
fetch you water out of this rock ? And Moses lifted up
his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice:
and the water came out abundantly, and the congre-
gation drank, and their beasts also.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Be-
cause ye believed me not, to san^lify me in the eyes
of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring
this congregation into the land which I have given
them. This is the water of Meribah ; because the chil-
dren of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanc-
tified in them.
[ -iGO J
XX] NUMBERS
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the
king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou
knowest all the travel that hath befallen us : how our
fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt
in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us,
and our fathers : and when we cried unto the Lord, he
heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought
us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh,
a city in the uttermost of thy border: let us pass, I
pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass
through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither
will we drink of the water of the wells : we will go
by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right
hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.
And Edom said unto him. Thou shalt not pass by
me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. And
the children of Israel said unto him. We will go by
the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy
v/ater, then I will pay for it: I will only, without do-
ing any thing else, go through on my feet. And he
said. Thou shalt not go 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: wherefore Israel turned away
from him.
And the children of Israel, even the whole congre-
[ 461 ]
NUMBERS [XXI
gation, journeyed from Kadesh,and came unto mount
Hor. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in
mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,
Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall
not enter into the land which I have given unto the
children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my
word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Elea-
zar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: and
strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Elea-
zar his son : and Aaron shall be gathered unto his peo-
ple, and shall die there. And Moses did as the Lord
commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in
the sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped
Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his
son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount:
and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.
And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was
dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all
the house of Israel.
And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt
in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way
of the spies ; then he fought against Israel, and took
some of them prisoners. And Israel vowed a vow
unto the Lord, and said. If thou wilt indeed deliver
this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy
their cities. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of
[ ^f>^ ]
XXI] NUMBERS
Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites ; and they ut-
terly destroyed them and tlieir cities : and he called
the name of the place Hormah.
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way
of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and
the soul of the people was much discouraged because
of the way. And the people spake against God, and
against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up
out of Egypt to die in the wilderness r for there is no
bread, neither is there any water ; and our soul loath-
eth this light bread. And the Lord sent hery serpents
among the people, and they bit the people ; and much
people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to
Moses, and said. We have sinned, forwe havespoken
against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the
Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And
Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said un-
to Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon
a pole : and it shall come to pass, that every one that
is bitten, when he looketli upon it, shall live. And
Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a
pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten
any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he
lived. '
' And the children of Israel set forv/ard, and pitched
in Oboth. And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched
[ 463 ]
NUMBERS [XXI
at Ije-abariin,in the wilderness wliich is before Moab,
toward the sunrising.
From thence they removed, and pitched in the
valley of Zared. From thence they removed, and
pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the
wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amo-
rites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between
Moab and the Amorites. Wherefore it is said in the
book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red
sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, and at the stream
of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar,
and lieth upon the border of Moab.
And from thence they w^ent to Beer: that is the
well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the
people together, and I will give them water.
Then Israel sang this song.
Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:
The princes digged the well,
The nobles of the people digged it.
By the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves.
And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:
and from Mattanah to Nahaliel : and from Nahaliel
to Bamoth: and from Bamoth in the valley, that is
in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which
looketh toward Jeshimon.
[ 464 ]
XXI] NUMBERS
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of
the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through thy land:
we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards ;
we will not drink of the waters of the well : but we
will go along by the king's high way, until we be
past thy borders. And Sihon would not suffer Israel
to pass throughi his border: but Sihon gathered all
his people together, and went out against Israel into
the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought
against Israel. And Israel smote him with the edge
of the sword, and possessed his land from Anion un-
to Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon : for the
border of the cliildren of Ammon was strong. And
Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the
cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the
villages thereof. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon
the king of the Amorites, who had fought against
the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out
of his hand, even unto Anion. Wherefore they that
speak in proverbs say,
Come into Heshbon,
Let the city of Sihon be built and prepared :
For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon,
A flame from, the city of Sihon :
It hath consumed Ar of Moab,
[ 465 ]
NUMBERS [XXII
And the lords of the high places of Anion.
Woe to thee, Moab !
Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh:
He hath given his sons that escaped.
And his daughters, into captivity
Unto Sihon king of the Amorites.
We have shot at them ; Heshbon is perished even
unto Dibon,
And we have laid them waste even unto Nophah,
Which reacheth unto Medeba.
I'hus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. And
Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the vil-
lages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were
there.
And they turned and wenc up by the way of Ba-
shan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against
them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I
hav-e delivered him into thy hand, and all his peo-
ple, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou
didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt
at Heshbon. So they smote him, and his sons, and all
his people, until there was none left him alive: and
they possessed his land.
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched
in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
[ 406 ]
XXII] NUMBERS
And Balak tlie son of Zippor saw all tliat 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 children of Israel. And
Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this
company lick up all that are round about us, as the
ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the
son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son
of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land
of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Be-
hold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold,
they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over
against me: com.e now therefore, I pray thee, curse
me this people ; for they are too mighty for me : per-
ad venture I shall prevail, that we may smite them,
and that I may drive them out of the land : for I wot
that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom
thou cursest is cursed. xA.nd the elders of Moab and
the elders of Midian departed with 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 the Lord shall speak unto me:
and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. And God
came unto Balaam, and s.aid. What men are these
[ 467 ]
NUMBERS [xxn
with thee? And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son
of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which
covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me
them ; perad venture I shall be able to overcome them,
and drive them out. And God said unto Balaam, Thou
shalt not go with them ; thou shalt not curse the peo-
ple: for they are blessed. And Balaam rose up in the
morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you
into3^our land : for the Lord refuseth to give me leave
to go with you. And the princes of Moab rose up,
and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refus-
eth to come with us.
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more
honourable 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 honour,
and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me : come
therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Ba-
laam 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 the Lord my
God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you,
tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what
the Lord will say unto me more. And God came unto
[ 468 ]
XXII] NUMBERS
Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come
to call thee, rise up, and go with them ; but yet tlie
word which I shall say 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 he went:
and the angel of the Lord stood 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 the Lord standing in the way, and
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. But the angel
of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall
being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when
the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself
unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the
wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of the
Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where
was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the
left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she
fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was
kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the
Lord 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
[ 469 ]
NUMBERS [XXII
the ass, Because thou hast mocked me : I would there
were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass,
upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine
unto this day ? was I ever wont to do so unto thee ?
And he said, Nay. Then the Lord opened the eyes
of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standi
ing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand : and
he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And
the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore liast
thou smitten thine ass these three times .'^ behold, I
went out to withstand thee, because thy way is per-
verse before me: and the ass saw me, and turned
from me these three times: unless she had turned
from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved
her alive. And Balaam said untotheangel of theLord,
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 the
Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only
the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou slialt
speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he
went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is
in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send
[ 470 J
xxni] NUMBERS
unto thee to call thee? wherefore earnest thou not
unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to
honour? And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come
unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any
thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that
shall I speak. And Balaam went with Balak, and they
came unto Kirjath-huzoth. And Balak offered oxen
and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes
that were with him. And it came to pass on the mor-
row, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up
into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see
the utmost part of the people.
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven
altars, and prepare me here seven oxen 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 the Lord
will come to meet me : and whatsoever he sheweth
me I w^ill tell thee. And he went to an high place.
And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have
prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every
altar a bullock and a ram. And the Lord 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 stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all
[ ^'1 ]
NUMBERS [XXIII
the princes of Moab. And he took up his parable,
and said,
Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from
Aram,
Out of the mountains of the east, saying,
Come, curse me Jacob,
And come, defy Israel.
How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?
Or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not de-
fied?
For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him :
Lo, the people shall dwell alone.
And shall not be reckoned among the nations.
Who can count the dust of Jacob,
And the number of the fourth j)art of Israel r
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 the Lord hath put in my mouth ? And Ba-
lak 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 shalt
[ ^^^ J
xxiii] NUMBERS
not see them all : and curse me them from thence.
And he brought him into the field of Zopiiim, to
the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered
a bullock and a ram on every altar. And he said un-
to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, wliile I
meet the Lord yonder. And the Lord met Balaam,
and put a word in his mouth, and said. Go again un-
to Balak, and say thus. x\nd when he came to him, be-
hold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes
of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him. What
hath the Lord spoken ? And he took up his parable,
and said,
Rise up, Balak, and hear;
Hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
God is not a man, that he should lie;
Neither the son of man, that he should repent:
Hath he said, and shall he not do k?
Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good ?
Behold, I have received commandment to bless:
And he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob,
Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel:
The Lord his God is with him.
And the shout of a king is among them.
God brought them out of Egypt;
He hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
[ ^r6 ]
NUMBERS [XXIV
Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,
Neither is there any divination against Israel:
According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and
of Israel,
What hath God wrought !
Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion.
And lift up himself as a young lion :
He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey.
And drink the blood of the slain.
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 the
Lord speak eth, that I must do.^
And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee,
I will bring thee unto another place ; peradventure
it will please God that thou mayest curse me them
from thence. And Balak brought Balaam unto the top
of Peor, that look eth toward Jeshimon. And Balaam
said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and pre-
pare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. And
Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock
and a ram on every altar.
And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to
bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek
for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wil-
derness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw
[ 474 J
XXIV] NUMBERS
Israel abiding in his tents 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 hath said.
And the man whose eyes are open hath said :
He hath said, which heard the words of God,
Which saw the vision of the Almighty,
Falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob,
And thy tabernacles, O Israel !
As the valleys are they spread forth,
As gardens by the river's side.
As the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath
planted,
And as cedar trees beside the waters.
He shall pour the water out of 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 brought him forth out of Egypt ;
He hath as it were the strength of an unicorn :
He shall eat up the nations his enemies.
And shall break their bones,
And pierce them through with his arrows.
He couched, he lay down as a lion.
And as a great lion: who shall stir him up.^*
[ 475 J
NUMBERS Lxxiv
Blessed is he that blesseth thee,
And cursed is he that curseth thee.
And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and
he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Ba-
laam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, be-
hold, 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, the Lord
hath kept thee back from honour. And Balaam said
unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which
thou sentest unto me, saying, If Balak would give
me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go be-
yond the commandment of the Lord, to do either
good or bad of mine own mind ; but what the Lord
saith, that will I speak.? And now, behold, I go un-
to my people: come therefore, and I will advertise
thee what this people shall do to thy people in the
latter days.
And he took up his parable, and said,
Balaam the son of Beor hath said,
And the man whose eyes are open hath said:
He hath said, which heard the words of God,
And knew the knowledge of the most High,
Which saw the vision of the Almighty,
Falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
L ^-^^ J
XXIV] NUMBERS
I shall sec him, hut not now:
I shall behold him, but not nigh:
There shall come a Star out of Jacob,
And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,
And shall smite the corners of Moab,
And destroy all the children of Sheth.
And Edom shall be a possession,
Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies ;
And Israel shall do valiantly.
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have do-
minion,
And shall destroy him tliat remaineth of the city.
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his pa-
rable, and said,
Amalek was the first of the nations ;
But his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his pa-
rable, and said.
Strong is thy dwellingplace,
And thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted,
Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
And he took up his parable, and said,
[ 477 ]
NUMBERS [XXV
Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim,
And shall afFli6l Asshur, and shall affli6l Eber,
And he also shall perish for ever.
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 commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
And 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-
peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against
Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the
heads of the people, and hang them up before the
Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the
Lord may be turned away from Israel. And Moses
said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his
men that were joined unto Baal-peor.
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came
and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman
in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the con-
gregation of the children of Israel, who were weep-
ing before the door of the tabernacle of the congre-
gation. And when Phinehas,the son of Elcazar, the
son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from
[ ^-« ]
XXV] NUMBERS
among the congregation, and took a javelin in his
hand ; and he went after the man of Israel into the
tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Is-
rael, and the woman through her belly. So the plague
was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that
died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Phine-
has, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,
hath turned my wrath away from the children of Is-
rael, while he was zealous for my sake among them,
that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jea-
lousy. Wherefore say. Behold, I give unto him my
covenant of peace : and he shall have it, and his seed
after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priest-
hood ; because he was zealous for his God, and made
an atonement for the children of Israel. Now the
name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was
slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son
of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeon-
ites. And the name of the Midianitish woman that was
slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head
over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Vex the
Midianites, and smite them: for they vex you with
their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the
matterof Peor,and in thematter of Cozbi, the daugh-
[ ^''9 ]
NUMBERS [XXVI
ter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain
in the day of the plague for Peer's sake.
And it came to pass after the plague, that the Lord
spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron
the priest, saying, Take the sum of all the congre-
gation of the children of Israel, from twenty years
old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all
that are able to go to war in Israel. And Moses and
Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of
Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying. Take the sum
of the people, from twenty years old and upward ; as
the Lord commanded Moses and the children of Is-
rael, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.
Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of
Reuben ; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the
Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites: of
Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the
family of the Carmites. These are the families of the
Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them
were forty and three thousand and seven hundred
and thirty. And the sons of Pallu ; Eliab. And the sons
of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is
that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in tlie
congregation, who strove against Moses and against
Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove
against the Lord: and the earth opened her mouth,
[ kso ]
XXVI] NUMBERS
and swallowed them up together with Korah, when
that company died, what time the fire devoured two
hundred and fifty men : and they became a sign. Not-
withstanding the children of Korah died not.
The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel,
the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family
of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachin-
ites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul,
the family of the Shaulites. These are the families of
the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two
hundred.
The children of Gad after their families: of Ze-
phon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the
family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the
Shunites: of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri,
tlie family of the Erites: of Arod, the family of the
Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites. These
are the families of the children of Gad according to
those that w^ere numbered of them, forty thousand
and five hundred.
The sons of Judah were Er and Onan : and Er and
Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of
Judah after their families were ; of Shelah, the family
of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Phar-
zites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. And the
sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the
I [ 481 ] Q
NUMBERS [XXVI
Hezronites: of Hamiil, the family of the Hamulites.
These are the families of Judah according to those
that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen
thousand and five hundred.
Of the sons of Issachar after their families : of Tola,
the family of the Tolaites : of Pua, the family of the
Punites: of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of
Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. These are
the families of Issachar according to those that were
numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and
three hundred.
Of the sons of Zebulun after their families : of Se-
red, the family of the Sardites : of Elon, the family of
the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.
These are the families of the Zebulunites according
to those that were numbered of them, threescore
thousand and five hundred.
The sons of Joseph after their families were Ma-
nasseh and Ephraim. Of the sons of Manasseh: of
Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir be-
gat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of tlie Gilead-
ites. These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the fa-
mily of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the
Helekites: and of Asriel, the family of the Asriel-
ites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
and of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and
[ -1-82 ]
XXVI] NUMBERS
of Hcphcr, the family of the Hepherites. And Zelo-
phehad the son of Hepher had no sons, hut daugh-
ters: and the names of tlie daughters of Zelophehad
were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tir-
zah. These are the families of Manasseh, and those
that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand
and seven hundred.
These are the sons of Ephraim after their fami-
lies: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of
Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the
family of the Tahanites. And these are the sons of
Shuthelah: of Eran,the family of the Eranites. These
are tlie families of the sons of Ephraim according to
those that were numbered of them, thirty and two
thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Jo-
seph after their families.
The sons of Benjamin after their families : of Bela,
the famil}^ of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of
the Ashbelites : of x\hiram, the family of the Ahiram-
ites: of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of
Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. And the sons
of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family
of the Ardites : and of Naaman, the family of the Na-
amites. These are the sons of Benjamin after their fa-
milies : and they that were numbered of them were
forty and five thousand and six hundred.
[ 483 ]
NUMBERS [XXVI
These are the sons of Dan after their families: of
Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the
families of Dan after their families. All the families
of the Shuhamites, according to those that were num-
bered of them, were threescore and four thousand
and four hundred.
Of the children of Asher after their families: of
Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the fa-
mily of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Be-
riites. Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of
the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Mal-
chielites. And the name of the daughter of Asher was
Sarah. These are the families of the sons of Asher
according to those that were numbered of them ; who
were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
Of the sons of Naphtali after their families : of Jah-
zeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the fa-
mily of the Gunites : of Jezer, the family of the Jezer-
ites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. These
are the families of Naphtali according to their families :
and they that were numbered of them were forty
and five thousand and four hundred. These were the
numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thou-
sand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Unto
these the land shall be divided for an inheritance ac-
[ 484 ]
xxvij NUMBERS
cording to the nuiiiber of names. To many thou shalt
give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give
the less inheritance: to every one shall his inherit-
ance be given according to those that were num-
bered of him. Notwithstanding the land shall be di-
vided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of
their fathers they shall inherit. According to the lot
shall the possession thereof be divided between many
and few.
And these are they that were numbered of the Le-
vites after their families: of Gershon, the family of
the Gershonites: of Kohath,the family of the Kohath-
ites: of Merari, the f^imily of the Merarites. These
are the families of the Levites: the family of the Lib-
nites,the family of the Hebronites,the family of the
Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of
the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram. And the
name of Amram's wife was Jochebed,the daughter
of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and
she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam
their sister. And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And Nadab and Abihu
died, when they offered strange fire before the Lord.
And those that w ere numbered of them w^ere tw enty
and three thousand, all males from a month old and
upward: for they were not numbered among the
[ 485 ]
NUMBERS [XXVII
children of Israel, because there was no inheritance
given them among the children of Israel.
These are they that were numbered by Moses
and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children
of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Je-
richo. But among these there was not a man of them
whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when
they numbered the children of Israel in the wilder-
ness of Sinai. For the Lord had said of them, They
shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not
left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephun-
neh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son
of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the
son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the
son of Joseph : and these are the names of his daugh-
ters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and
Tirzah. And they stood before Moses, and before
Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the
congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, saying, Our father died in the wilder-
ness, and he was not in the company of them that
gathered themselves together against the Lord in
the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and
had no sons. Why should tlie name of our father be
done away from among his family, because he hatti
[ ^»« 1
XXVII] NUMBERS
no son ? Give unto us therefore a possession among
the brethren of our father. And Moses brought their
cause before the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, The
daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt
surely give them a possession of an inheritance
among their father's brethren ; and thou shalt cause
the inheritance of their father to pass unto them. And
thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause
his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. And if he
have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance
unto his brethren. And if he have no brethren, then
ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's bre-
thren. And if his father have no brethren, then ye
shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is
next to him of his family, and he shall possess it:
and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute
of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Get thee up into
this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have
given unto the children of Israel. And when thou
hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy
people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. For ye
rebelled against my commandment in the desert of
Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to san6fify me
[ ^«^ ]
NUMBERS [XXVII
at the water before their eyes: that is the water of
Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, Let the
Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man
over the congregation, v/hich may go out before
them, and which may go in before them, and which
may lead them out, and which may bring them in ;
that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep
which have no shepherd.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua
the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay
thine hand upon him; and set him before Eleazar
the priest, and before all the congregation ; and give
him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some
of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation
of the children of Israel may be obedient. And he
shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask
counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before
the Lord: at his word shall they go out, and at his
word they shall come in, both he, and all the chil-
dren of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
And Moses did as the Lord commanded him : and he
took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest,
and before all the congregation : and he laid his hands
upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord com-
manded by the hand of Moses.
[ 488 ]
XXVIII] NUMBERS
Ax\D the Ijjvd spake unto Moses, saying, Com-
mand the children of Israel, and say unto them, My
offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by
fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to
offer unto me in their due season. And thou shalt say
unto them. This is the offering made by fire which
ye shall ofier unto the Lord ; two lambs of the first
year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt
ofi'ering. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morn-
ing, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even ; and
a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering,
mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.
It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained
in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made
by fire unto the Lord. And the drink offering thereof
shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb :
in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to
be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering. And
the other lamb shalt thou offer at even : as the meat
offering of the morning, and as the drink offering
thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire,
of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year
without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat
offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering
thereof: this is the burnt offering of every sabbath,
I [ 489 ] q2
NUMBERS [XXVIII
beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink of-
fering.
And in the beginnings of your months ye shall of-
fer a burnt offering unto the Lord ; two young bul^
locks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year
without spot; and three tenth deals of flour for a meat
offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock ; and two
tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with
oil, for one ram; and a several tenth deal of flour
mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb ;
for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made
by fire unto the Lord. And their drink offerings shall
be half an bin of wine unto a bullock, and the third
part of an bin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an bin
unto a lamb : this is the burnt offering of every month
throughout the months of the year. And one kid of
the goats for a sin offering unto the Lord shall be of-
fered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his
drink offering. And in the fourteenth day of the first
month is the passover of the Lord. And in the fif-
teenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall
unleavened bread be eaten. In the first day shall be
an holy convocation ; ye shall do no manner of servile
work therein : but ye shall offer a sacrifice made by
fire for a burnt offering unto the Lord ; two young
bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first
[ 490 ]
XXVIII] NUMBERS
year : they shall be unto you without blemish : and
their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil :
three tenth deals sliall ye offer for a bullock, and two
tenth deals for a ram ; a several tenth deal shalt thou
offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
and one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement
for you. Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offer-
ing in the morning, which is for a continual burnt of-
fering. After this manner ye shall offer daily, through-
out the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made
by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: it shall be
offered beside the continual burnt offerinsr, and his
drink offering. And on the seventh day ye shall have
an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.
Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring
a new meat offering unto the Lord, after your weeks
be out, ye shall have an holy convocation ; ye shall
do no servile work : but ye shall offer the burnt of-
fering for a sweet savour unto the Lord ; two young
bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year ; and
their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three
tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto
one ram, a several tenth deal unto one lamb, through-
out the seven lambs; and one kid of the goats, to
make an atonement for you. Ye shall offer them be-
side the continual burnt offering, and his meat offer-
[ 491 ]
NUMBERS [XXIX
ing, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and
their drink offerings.
And in the seventh month, on the first day of the
month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall
do no servile work : it is a day of blowing the trum-
pets unto you. And ye shall offer a burnt offering for
a sweet savour unto the Lord; one young bullock,
one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without
blemish: and their meat offering shall be of flour
mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and
two tenth deals for a ram, and one tenth deal for one
lamb, throughout the seven lambs: and one kid of
the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement
for you: beside the burnt offering of the month, and
his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and
his meat offering, and their drink offerings, accord-
ing unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacri-
fice made by fire unto the Lord.
And ye shall have on the tenth day of this se-
venth month an holy convocation ; and ye shall affli61
your souls: ye shall not do any work therein: but
ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord for a
sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven
lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you with-
out blemish: and their meat offering shall be of flour
mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and
[ -iDJe J
XXIX] NUMBERS
two tenth deals to one ram, a several tenth deal for
one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: one kid of
the goats for a sin offering ; beside the sin offering
of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and
the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.
And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye
shall have an holy convocation ; ye shall do no ser-
vile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord
seven days: and ye shall offer a burnt offering, a
sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the
Lord; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and four-
teen lambs of the first year ; they shall be without
blemish: and their meat offering shall be of fiour
mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bul-
lock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each
ram of the two rams, and a several tenth deal to
each lamb of the fourteen lambs : and one kid of the
goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt
offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young
bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year
without spot : and their meat offering and their drink
offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the
manner: and one kid of the goats for a sin offering;
beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat
[ ^93 ]
NUMBERS [XXIX
offering thereof, and their drink offerings.
And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams,
fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish : and
their meat offering and their drink offerings for the
bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be
according to their number, after the manner: and one
goat for a sin offering ; beside the continual burnt of-
fering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and
fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish : their
meat offering and their drink offerings for the bul-
locks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be ac-
cording to their number, after the manner: and one
kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the conti-
nual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink
offering.
And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and
fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: and
their meat offering and their drink offerings for the
bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be ac-
cording to their number, after the manner : and one
goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt of-
fering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams,
and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish :
and their meat offering and their drink offerings for
[ 494. ]
XXIX] NUMBERS
the bullocks, for the rams, and for the Iambs, shall
be according to their number, after the manner: and
one goat for a sin offering ; beside the continual burnt
offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams,
and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
and their meat offering and their drink offerings for
the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall
be according to their number, after the manner: and
one goat for a sin ottering ; beside the continual burnt
offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn as-
sembly : ye shall do no servile work therein : but ye
shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire,
of a sweet savour unto the Lord : one bullock , one
ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
their meat offering and their drink offerings for the
bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be ac-
cording to their number, after the manner : and one
goat for a sin offering ; beside the continual burnt of-
fering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
These things ye shall do unto the Lord in your set
feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings,
for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings,
and for your drink offerings, and for your peace of-
ferings. And Moses told the children of Israel ac-
NUMBERS [XXX
cording to all that the Lord commanded Moses.
And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes con-
cerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing
which the Lord hath commanded. If a man vow a
vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul
with a bond ; he shall not break his word, he shall do
according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. If
a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind
herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her
youth; and her father hear her vow, and her bond
wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father
shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall
stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her
soul shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the
day that he heareth ; not any of her vows, or of her
bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand:
and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father dis-
allowed her. And if she had at all an husband, when
she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, where-
with she bound her soul ; and her husband heard it,
and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it:
then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith
she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband
disallowed her on the day that he heard it ; then he
shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which
she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her
[ 49() ]
XXXI] NUMBERS
soul, of none effe^i : and the Lord shall forgive her.
But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced,
wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand
against her. And if she vowed in her husband's house,
or bound her soul by a bond with an oath ; and her
husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and dis-
allowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and
every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
But if her husband hath utterly made them void on
the day he heard them ; then whatsoever' proceeded
out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning
the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband
hath made them void ; and the Lord shall forgive her.
Every vow, and every binding oath to affli6l the soul,
her husband may establish it, or her husband may
make it void. But if her husband altogether hola his
peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth
all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her:
he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her
in the day that he heard them. But if he shall any
ways make them void after that he hath heard them ;
then he shall bear her iniquity. These are the sta-
tutes, which the Lord commanded Moses, between
a man and his wife, between the father and his daugh-
ter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Avenge
[ 497 J
NUMBERS [XXXI
the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward
shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses
spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of your-
selves unto the war, and let them go against the Mi-
dianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. Of every
tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel,
shall ye send to the war. So there were delivered
out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every
tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. And Moses
sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them
and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war,
with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow
in his hand. And they warred against the Midianites,
as the Lord commanded Moses ; and they slew all
the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, be-
side the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi,
and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings
of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew
with the sword. And the children of Israel took all
the women of Midian captives, and their little ones,
and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their
flocks, and all their goods. And they burnt all their
cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles,
with fire. And they took all the spoil, and all the prey,
both of men and of beasts. And they brought the cap-
tives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and
[ 4-98 ]
XXXI] NUMBERS
Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the
children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of
Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.
And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the
princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them
without the camp. And Moses was wroth with the of-
ficers of the host, with the captains over thousands,
and captains over hundreds, which came from the
battle. And Moses said unto them. Have ye saved all
the women alive .'^ Behold, these caused the children
of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit
trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and
there was a plague among the congregation of the
Lord. Now therefore kill every male among the little
ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by
lying with him. But all the women children, that have
not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for
yourselves. And do ye abide without the camp seven
days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whoso-
ever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves
and your captives on the third day, and on the se-
venth day. And purify all your raiment, and all that
is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all
things made of wood.
And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war
which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of
[ 4.99 ]
NUMBERS [XXXI
the law which the Lord commanded Moses; only
the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin,
and the lead, every thing that may abide the fire, ye
shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be
clean : nevertheless it shall be purified with the wa-
ter of separation : and all that abideth not the fire ye
shall make go through the water. And ye shall wash
your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be
clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the
sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of
beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fa-
thers of the congregation: and divide the prey in-
to two parts ; between them that took the war up-
on them, who went out to battle, and between all
the congregation : and levy a tribute unto the Lord
of the men of war which went out to battle: one
soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the
beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep: take it
of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for
an heave offering of the Lord. And of the children
of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty,
of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of
the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them
unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the ta-
bernacle of the Lord. And Moses and Eleazar the
XXXI] NUMBERS
priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. And tlie
booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of
war had caught, was six hundred thousand and se-
venty thousand and five thousand sheep, and three-
score and twelve thousand beeves, and threescore
and one thousand asses, and thirty and two thousand
persons in all, of women that had not known man
by lying with him. And the half, which was the por-
tion of them that went out to war, was in number
three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thou-
sand and five hundred sheep: and the Lord's tribute
of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and
fifteen. And the beeves were thirty and six thou-
sand; of which the Lord's tribute was threescore and
twelve. And the asses were thirty thousand and five
hundred ; of which the Lord's tribute was threescore
and one. And the persons were sixteen thousand; of
which the Lord's tribute was thirty and two persons.
And Moses gave the tribute, which was the Lord's
heave oflTering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the Lord
commanded Moses. And of the children of Israel's
half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,
( now the half that pertained unto the congregation
was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and
seven thousand and five hundred sheep, and thirty
and six thousand beeves, and thirty thousand asses
[ 501 ]
NUMBERS [XXXI
and five hundred, and sixteen thousand persons;)
even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one
portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave
them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the
tabernacle of the Lord ; as the Lord commanded Mo-
ses.
And the officers w^hich were over thousands of the
host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hun-
dreds, came near unto Moses: and they said unto
Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men
of war which are under our charge, and there lack-
eth not one man of us. We have therefore brought
an oblation for the Lord, what every man hath got-
ten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings,
earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our
souls before the Lord. And Moses and Eleazar the
priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jew-
els. And all the gold of the offering that they of-
fered up to the Lord, of the captains of thousands,
and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thou-
sand seven hundred and fifty shekels. (For the men
of war had taken spoil, every man for himself. ) And
Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the
captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought
it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a me-
morial for the children of Israel before the Lord.
[ 50a ]
XXXII] NUMBERS
Now the children of Reuben and the children of
Gad liad a very great multitude of cattle: and when
tliey saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead,
that, behold, the place was a place for cattle ; the chil-
dren of Gad and the children of Reuben came and
spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and un-
to the princes of the congregation, saying, Ataroth,
and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon,
and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, even
the country which the Lord smote before the con-
gregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy ser-
vants have cattle: wherefore, said they, if we have
found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto
thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over
Jordan.
And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to
the cliildren of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to
war, and shall ye sit here ? And wherefore discourage
ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over
into tlie land v.hich the Lord hath given them ? Thus
did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-
barnea to see the land. For when they went up unto
the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discour-
aged the heart of the children of Israel, that they
should not go into the land which the Lord had given
them. x\nd the Lord's anger was kindled the same
[ 503 ]
NUMBERS [XXXII
time, and he sware, saying, Surely none of the men
that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old
and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they
have not wholly followed me: save Caleb the son
of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of
Nun : for they have wholly followed the Lord. And
the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he
made them wander in the wilderness forty years, un-
til all the generation, that had done evil in the sight
of the Lord, was consumed. And, behold, ye are
risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful
men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord
toward Israel. For if ye turn away from after him,
he will yet again leave them in the wilderness ; and
ye shall destroy all this people.
And they came near unto him, and said. We will
build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our
little ones: but we ourselves will go ready armed
before the children of Israel, until we have brought
them unto their place : and our little ones shall dwell
in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the
land. We will not return unto our houses, until the
children of Israel have inherited every man his in-
heritance. For we will not inherit with them on yon-
der side Jordan, or forward ; because our inheritance
[ 50-i J
XXXII] NUMBERS
is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.
And Moses said unto tliem, If ye will do this thing,
if ye will go armed before the Lord to war, and will
go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord,
until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,
and the land be subdued before the Lord : then after-
ward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the Lord,
and before Israel; and this land shall be your pos-
session before the Lord. But if ye will not do so, be-
hold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure
your sin will find you out. Build you cities for your lit-
tle ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which
hath proceeded out of your mouth. And the children
of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses,
saying, Thy servants will do as my lord command-
eth. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our
cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: but thy
servants will pass over, every man armed for war,
before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith. So con-
cerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest,
and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of
the tribes of the children of Israel: and Moses said
unto them. If the children of Gad and the children of
Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every m.an
armed to battle, before the Lord, and the land shall
be subdued before you ; then ye shall give them the
[ 505 ]
NUMBERS [xxxrr
land of Gileacl for a possession : but if they will not
pass over with you armed, they shall have posses-
sions among you in the land of Canaan. And the chil-
dren of Gad and the children of Reuben answered,
saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so
will we do. We will pass over armed before the Lord
into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our in-
heritance on this side Jordan may be ours. And Mo-
ses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and
to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of
Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon
king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king
of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the
coasts, even the cities of the country round about.
And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth,
and Aroer,and Atroth,Shophan,and Jaazer,and Jog-
behah, and Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced ci-
ties : and folds for sheep. And the children of Reuben
built Heshbon , and Elealeh , and Kirj athaim , an d Nebo ,
and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and
Shibmah : and gave other names unto the cities which
they builded. And the children of Machir the son of
Manasseh went to Ciilead, and took it, and dispos-
sessed the Amorite which was in it. And Moses gave
Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he
dwelt therein. And Jair the son of Manasseh went
[ 50() ]
XXXIII] NUMBERS
and took the small towns thereof, and called them
Havoth-jair. And Nobah went and took Kenath, and
the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own
name.
These are the journeys of the children of Israel,
which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their
armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. And Mo-
ses wrote their goings out according to their jour-
neys by the commandment of the Lord : and these
are their journeys according to their goings out. And
they departed from Rameses in the first month, on
the fifteenth day of the first month ; on the morrow
after the passover the children of Israel went out with
an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. For
the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the
Lord had smitten among them : upon their gods also
the Lord executed judgments. And the children of
Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Suc-
coth. And they departed from Succoth, and pitched
in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. And
they removed from Etham, and turned again unto
Pi-hahiroth, w^hich is before Baal-zephon: and they
pitched before Migdol. And they departed from be-
fore Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the
sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey
in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.
[ 507 ]
NUMBERS [XXXIII
And they removed from Marah,and came unto Elim:
and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and three-
score and ten palm trees; and they pitched there. And
they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red
sea. And they removed from the Red sea, and en-
camped in the wilderness of Sin. And they took their
journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped
in Dophkah. And they departed from Dophkah, and
encamped in Alush. And they removed from Alush,
and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for
the people to drink. And they departed from Rephi-
dim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. And they
removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Ki-
broth-hattaavah. And they departed from Kibroth-
hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. And they de-
parted from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. And
they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rim-
mon-parez. And they departed from Rimmon-parez,
and pitched in Libnah. And they removed from Lib-
nah, and pitched at Rissah. And they journeyed from
Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. And they went
from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher. And
they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped
in Haradah. And they removed from Haradah, and
pitched in Makheloth. And they removed from Mak-
heloth, and encamped at Tahath. And they departed
[ 508 ]
XXXIII] NUMBERS
tVoin Tahath, and pitched at Tarah. And they re-
moved from Tarali, and pitched in Mithcah. And
they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.
And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped
at Moseroth. And they departed from Moserotli,and
{)itched in Bene-jaakan. And they removed from Be-
ne-jaakan,and encamped at Hor-hagidgad. And they
went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitclied in Jotbatliah.
And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped
at Ebronah. And they departed from Ebronah, and
encamped at Ezion-gaber. And they removed from
Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin,
which is Kadesh. And they removed from Kadesh,
and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of
Edom. And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor
at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in
the fortieth year after the children of Israel were
come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the
fifth month. And Aaron was an hundred and twenty
and three years old w hen he died in mount Hor. And
king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south
in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the
children of Israel. And they departed from mount
Mor, and pitched in Zalmonah. And they departed
from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. And they de-
parted from Punon, and pitched in Oboth. And they
[ 509 ]
NUMBERS [XXXIII
departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in
the border of Moab. And they departed from Iim,and
pitched in Dibon-gad. And they removed from Di-
bon-gad, and encamped in Ahiion-diblathaim. And
they removed from Ahnon-diblathaim, and pitched in
the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. And they de-
parted from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in
the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. And they
pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto
Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of
Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are
passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan ; then ye
shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from be-
fore you, and destroy all their piclures, and destroy all
their molten images, and quite pluck down all their
high places: and ye shall dispossess the inhabitants
of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you
the land to possess it. And ye shall divide the land
by lot for an inheritance among your families: and
to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and
to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every
man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot
falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall
inherit„ But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants
[ 510 ]
XXXIV] NUMBERS
of the land from before you ; then it shall come to
pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be
pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and
shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. More-
over it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you,
as I thought to do unto them.
And tlie Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Com-
mand the children of Israel, and say unto them, When
ye come into the land of Canaan ; ( this is the land
that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the
land of Canaan v/ith the coasts thereof: ) then your
south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin
along by the coast of Edom, and your south border
shall be tlie outmost coast of the salt sea eastw^ard:
and your border shall turn from the south to the as-
cent of Akrabbira, and pass on to Zin: and the go-
ing forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh-
barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass on
to Azmon : and the border shall fetch a compass from
Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out
of it shall be at the sea. And as for the w^estern bor-
der, ye shall even have the great sea for a border:
this shall be your west border. And this shall be your
north border: from the great sea ye shall point out
for you mount Hor: from mount Hor ye shall point
out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and
[ -511 ]
NUMBERS [XXXIV
the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: and
the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out
of it shall be at Hazar-enan : this shall be your north
border. And ye shall point out your east border from
Hazar-enan to Shepham : and the coast shall go down
from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain ; and
the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side
of the sea of Chinnereth eastward : and the border
shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall
be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the
coasts thereof round about. And Moses commanded
the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which
ye shall inherit by lot, which the Lord commanded to
give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe: for
the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the
house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children
of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have
received their inheritance ; and half the tribe of Ma-
nasseh have received their inheritance: the two tribes
and the half tribe have received their inheritance on
this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sun-
rising.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, These are
the names of the men which shall divide the land un-
to you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to di-
[ '51^ ]
2 a
11
XXXV] NUMBERS
vide the land by inheritance. x\nd the names ot^ the
men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son
of Jephunneh. And of the tribe of the children of Si-
meon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.Of the tribe of
Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. And the prince
of the tribe of tlie children of Dan, Bukki the son of
Jogli. The prince of the children of Joseph, for the
tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son
of Ephod. And the prince of the tribe of the children
of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. And the
prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Eliza-
phan the son oi^ Parnach. And the prince of the tribe
of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.
And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher,
Ahihud the son of Shelomi. And the prince of the tribe
of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Am-
mihud. These are they whom the Lord commanded
to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel
in the land of Canaan.
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of
Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying. Command the
children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of
the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in ;
and ve shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for
the cities round about them. And the cities shall they
have to dwell in ; and the suburbs of them shall be
I [ 513 ] 11
NUMBERS [XXXV
for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their
beasts. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall
give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of
the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.
And ye shall measure from^ without the city on the
east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side
two thousand cubits, and on the w^est side two thou-
sand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cu-
bits ; and the city shall be in the midst : this shall be to
them the suburbs of the cities. And among the cities
which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be
six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the
manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye
shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which
ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight
cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. And the
cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession
of the cliildren of Israel : from them that have man,y
ye shall give many ; but from them that have few ye
shall give few : every one shall give of his cities unto
the Levites according to his inheritance which he in-
heriteth.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When
ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan ; then
ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for
[ 514 ]
xxxvj NUMBERS
you ; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth
any person at unawares. And they shall be unto you
cities for refuge from the avenger; that the man-
slayer die not, until he stand before the congregation
in judgment. And of these cities which ye shall give
six cities shall ye have for refuge. Ye shall give three
cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give
in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the chil-
dren of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the so-
journer among them : that every one that killeth any
person unawares may flee thither. And if he smite
him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a
murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to dcr.th.
And if he smite him with throwing a stone, where-
with he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the
murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite
him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may
die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall
surely be put to death. The revenger of blood him-
self shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him,
he shall slay him. But if he thrust him of hatred, or
hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; or in en-
mity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that
smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a
murderer : the revenger of blood shall slay the mur-
[ 515 ]
NUMBERS [XXXV
derer, when he meeteth him. But if he thrust him
suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any
thing without laying of wait, or with any stone, where-
with a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon
him, that he die, and was not his enemy , neither sought
his harm : then the congregation shall judge between
the slayer and the revenger of blood according to
these judgments: and the congregation shall deliver
the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood,
and the congregation shall restore him to the city of
his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide
in it unto the death of the high priest, which was
anointed with the holy oil. But if the slayer shall at
anytime come without the border of the city of his re-
fuge, whither he was fled ; and the revenger of blood
find him without the borders of the city of his re-
fuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he
shall not be guilty of blood : because he should have
remained in the city of his refuge until the death of
the high priest : but after the death of the high priest
the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto
you throughout your generations in all your dwell-
ings. Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall
be put to death by the mouth of witnesses : but one
witness shall not testify against any person to cause
L 516 ]
XXXVI] NUMBERS
him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfa6lion for
the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death : but
he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no
satisfa6lion for him that is fled to the city of his re-
fuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land,
until the death of the priest. So ye shall not pollute
the land wherein ye are : for blood it defileth the land :
and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is
shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit,
wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the
children of Israel.
And the chief fathers of the families of the chil-
dren of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Ma-
nasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came
near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes,
the chief fathers of the children of Israel : and they
said. The Lord commanded my lord to give the land
for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and
my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the in-
heritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daugh-
ters. And if they be married to any of the sons of the
other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their
inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fa-
thers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe
whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from
[ 517 ]
NUMBERS [XXXVI
the lot of our inheritance. And when the jubile of the
children of Israel shall be, then shall their inherit-
ance be put unto the inlieritance of the tribe where-
unto they are received: so shall their inheritance be
taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our
fathers. And Moses commanded the children of Is-
rael according to the word of the Lord, saying, The
tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well. This is the
thing which the Lord doth command concerning the
daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry
to whom they think best; only to the family of the
tribe of their father shall they marry. So shall not
the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from
tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Is-
rael shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe
of his fathers. And every daughter, that possesseth
an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel,
shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of
her father,that the children of Israel may enjoy every
man the inheritance of his fathers. Neither shall the
inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe;
but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel
sliall keep himself to his own inheritance. Even as
the Lord commanded Moses, so did the daughters of
Zelophehad: for Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and
Milcah , and Noah , the daughters of Zelophehad , were
[ MS j
XXXVI] NUMBERS
married unto their father's brothers' sons: and they
were married into the families of the sons of Manas-
seh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained
in the tribe of tlie family of their father.
These are the commandments and the judgments,
which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses
unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by
Jordan near Jericho.
[ 519 ]
THE FIFTH BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
DEUTERONOMY
THESE be the words which Moses spake unto
all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness,
in the plain over against the Red sea, between Pa-
ran, and Tophcl, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Di-
zahab. (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb
by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea. ) And
it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh
month, on the first day of the month, that Moses
spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all
that the Lord had given him in comm.andment unto
them ; after he had slain Sihon the king of the Amo-
rites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of
Bashan,w^hich dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: on this side
Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare
this law, saying. The Lord our God spake unto us
in Horeb, saying. Ye have dwelt long enough in this
mount: turn you, and take your journey, and go to
the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places
nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the
vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land
of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great
river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the
land before you: go in and possess the land which
I [ 5'21 ] k2
DEUTERONOMY [i
the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after
them.
And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not
able to bear you myself alone : the Lord your God
hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as
the stars of heaven for multitude. (The Lord God of
your fathers make you a thousand times so many
more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised
you ! ) How^ can I myself alone bear your cumbrance,
and your burden, and your strife? Take you wise men,
and understanding, and known among your tribes,
and I will make them rulers over you. And ye an-
swered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spo-
ken is good for us to do. So I took the chief of your
tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads
over you, captains over thousands, and captains over
hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over
tens, and officers among your tribes. And I charged
your judges at that time, saying. Hear the causes be-
tween your brethren, and judge righteously between
every man and his brother, and the stranger that is
with him. Ye shall not respe6l persons in judgment;
but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; 3^e
shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judg-
ment is God's : and the cause that is too hard for you,
[ r>^j2 ]
I] DEUTERONOMY
bring it unto me, and I will hear it. And I command-
ed you at that time all the things which ye should do.
And when we departed from Horeb, we went
through all that great and terrible wilderness, which
ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites,
as the Lord our God commanded us; and we came
toXadesh-barnea. And I said unto you. Ye are come
unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord
our. God doth give unto us. Behold, the Lord thy God
hath set the land before thee : go up and possess it, as
the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee ; fear
not, neither be discouraged.
And ye came near unto me every one of you, and
said, We will send men before us, and they shall
search us out the land, and bring us word again by
what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall
come. And the saying pleased me well: and I took
twelve men of you, one of a tribe: and they turned
and went up into the mountain, and came unto the
valley of Eshcol, and searched it out. And they took
of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it
down unto us, and brought us word again, and said,
It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give
us. Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled
against the commandment of the Lord your God • and
ye murmured in your tents, and said. Because the
[ 523 ]
DEUTERONOMY [i
Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of tlie
land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amo-
rites, to destroy us. Whither shall we go up ? our bre-
thren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people
is greater and taller than we ; the cities are great and
walled up to heaven ; and moreover we have seen
the sons of the Anakims there. Then I said unto you.
Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The Lord your
God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you,
according to all that he did for you in Egypt before
your eyes; and in the wilderness, where thou hast
seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man
doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until
ye came into this place. Yet in this thing ye did not
believe the Lord your God, who went in the way
before you, to search you out a place to pitch your
tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye
should go, and in a cloud by day. And the Lord heard
the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware,
saying. Surely there shall not one of these men of
this evil generation see that good land, which I sware
to give unto your fathers, save Caleb the son of Je-
phunneh ; he shall see it, and to him will I give the
land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children,
because he hath wholly followed the Lord. Also the
Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou
L -5!^^ J
n DEUTERONOMY
also shalt not go in thither. But Joshua the son of Nun,
which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither:
encourage him : for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be
a prey, and your children, which in that day had no
knowledge between good and evil, they ehall go in
thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall
possess it. But as for you, turn you, and take your
journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red
sea. Then ye answered and said unto me. We have
sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, ac-
cording to all that the Lord our God commanded us.
And when ye had girded on every man his weapons
of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill. And
the Lord said unto me. Say unto them. Go not up,
neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be
smitten before your enemies. So I spake unto you ;
and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the com-
mandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up
into the hill. And the Amorites, which dwelt in that
mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as
bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hor-
mah. And ye returned and w^ept before the Lord ; but
the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give
ear unto you. So ye abode in Kadesh many days, ac-
cording unto the days that ye abode there.
[ b'^Zo ]
DEUTERONOMY [li
Thenwc turned, and took our journey into thewil-
derness by the way of the Red sea, as the Lord spake
unto me : and we compassed mount Seir many days.
And the Lord spake unto me, saying, Ye have com-
passed this mountain long enough : turn you north-
ward. And command thou the people, saying. Ye are
to pass through the coast of your brethren the chil-
dren of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall
be afraid of you : take ye good heed unto yourselves
therefore : meddle not with them ; for I will not give
you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth;
because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a pos-
session. Ye shall buy meat of them for money, tliat
ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them
for money, that ye may drink. For the Lord thy God
hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand : he
knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness:
these forty years the Loi'd thy God hath been with
thee; thou hast lacked nothing. And when we passed
by from our brethren the children of Esau, which
dwelt in Seir,through the way of the plain fromElath,
and from Ezion-gaber, we turned and passed by the
way of the wilderness of Moab. And the Lord said
unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend
with them in battle : for I will not give thee of their
land for a possession ; because I liave given Ar un-
L 526 ]
II] DEUraRONOMY
to the children of Lot for a possession. The Eminis
dwelt tlierein in times past, a people great, and many,
and tall, as the Anakims ; whicli also were accounted
giants, as the Anakims ; but the Moabites call them
Emims. The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime ;
but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they
had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in
their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his posses-
sion, which the Lord gave unto them. Now rise up,
said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we
went over the brook Zered. And the space in which
we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come
over tlie brook Zered, was thirty and eight years ; un-
til all the o^eneration of the men of war were wasted
cut from among the host, as the Lord sware unto
them. For indeed the hand of the Lord was against
them, to destroy them from among the host, until they
were consumed.
So it came to pass, when all the men of war were
consumed and dead from among the people, that the
Lord spake unto me, saying. Thou art to pass over
through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: and when
thou comest nigh over against the children of Am-
nion, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for
I will not give thee of the land of the children of Am-
nion any possession; because I have given it unto
[ 527 ]
DEUTERONOMY [ii
the children of Lot for a possession. (That also was
accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old
time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;
a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims;
but the Lord destroyed them before them ; and they
succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: as he did
to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir,when he
destroyed the Horims from before them ; and they
succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto
this day: and the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim,
even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth
out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their
.stead. )
Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the
river Arnon : behold, I have given into thine hand Si-
hon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: be-
gin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. This
day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear
of thee upon the nations that are under the whole
heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall trem-
ble, and be in anguish because of thee.
And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of
Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words
of peace, saying, Let me pass through thy land: I will
go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto
the right hand nor to the left. Thou shalt sell mc
[ 5:^8 J
n] DEUTERONOMY
meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water
for money, that 1 may drink : only I will pass through
on mv feet; (as tlie children of Esau which dwell
in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did un-
to me : ) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land
which the Lord our God giveth us. But Sihon king of
Heshbon would not let us pass by him : for the Lord
thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart ob-
stinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as
appeareth this day. And the Lord said unto me, Be-
hold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before
thee: begin to possess, that thou may est inherit his
land. Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his
people, to figbit at Jahaz. And the Lord our God de-
livered him before us; and we smote him, and his
sons, and all his people. And we took all his cities at
that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the wo-
men, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to
reinain : only the cattle we took for a prey unto our-
selves,and the spoil of the cities which we took. From
Aroer, which is b}' the brink of the river of Arnon,
and from the city that is by the river, even unto Gi-
lead, there was not one city too strong for us: the
Lord our God delivered all unto us: only unto the
land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor
unto any place of the river Jabbok , nor unto the cities
[ 529 ]
DEUTERONOMY [iii
in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the Lord our
God forbad us.
Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan :
and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he
and all his people, to battle at Edrei. And the Lord
said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and
all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou
shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of
the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. So the Lord
our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king
of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him un-
til none was left to him remaining. And we took all
his cities at that time, there was not a city which we
took not from them, threescore cities, all the region
of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these
cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars;
beside unwalled towns a great many. And we utterly
destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Hesh-
bon, utterly destroying the men, women, aiid chil-
dren, of every city. But all the cattle, and the spoil
of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves. And VvC
took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of
the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan,
from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon ; ( which
Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites
call it Shenir;) all the cities of the plain, and all Gi-
[ 5530 ]
Ill] DEUTERONOMY
lead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities
of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. P^or only Og king of
Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; hehold,
his bedstead was a bedstead of iron ; is it not in Rab-
bath of the children of Amnion ? nine cubits was the
length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after
the cubit of a man. And this land, whicli we pos-
sessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river
Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof,
gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites. And
the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom
of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh ; all the
region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called
the land of giants. Jair the son of Manasseh took all
the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and
Maachathi ; and called them after his own name, Ba-
shan-havoth-jair, unto this day. And I gave Gilead
unto Machir, And unto the Reubenites and unto the
Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon
half the valley, and the border even unto the river
Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Am^
mon ; the plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof,
from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, even
the salt sea, under Aslidoth-pisgah eastward.
And I commanded you at that time, saying. The
Lord your God hath given you this land to possess
[ 531 ]
DEUTERONOMY [iii
it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the
children of Israel, all that are meet for the war. But
your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, ( for
I know that ye have much cattle, ) shall abide in your
cities which I have given you ; until the Lord have
given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you,
and until they also possess the land which the Lord
your God hath given them beyond Jordan : and then
shall ye return every man unto his possession, which
I have given you.
And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying.
Thine eyes have seen all that the Lord your God
hath done unto these two kings: so shall the Lord
do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. Ye
shall not fear them : for the Lord your God he shall
•fight for you. And I besought the Lord at that time,
saying, O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy
servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand : for what
God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do ac-
cording to thy works, and according to thy might .'^ I
pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that
is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Leba-
non. But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes,
and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me,
Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of tliis
matter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up
[ 532 ]
rv] DEUTERONOMY
thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward,
and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for tliou
slialt not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and
encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go
over before this people, and he shall cause them to
inherit the land which thou shalt see. So we abode in
the valley over against Beth-peor.
Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the sta-
tutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for
to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess
the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth
you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I com-
mand you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it,
that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord
your God which I command you. Your eyes have
seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor : for all
the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God
hath destroyed them from among you. But ye that
did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every
one of you this day. Behold, I have taught you sta-
tutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God com-
manded me, that ye should do so in the land whither
ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them ; for
this is your wisdom and your understanding in the
sight of the nations, which shall hear all these sta-
tutes, and say. Surely this great nation is a wise and
[ 533 ]
DEUTERONOMY [iv
understanding people. For what nation is there so
great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord
our God is in all things that Vv^e call upon him for?
And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes
and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I
set before you this day ? Only take heed to thyself,
and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the
things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they de-
part from thy heart all the days of thy life: but. teach
them thy sons, and thy sons' sons ; specially the day
that thou stoodest before the Lord thy Godin Horeb,
when the Lord said unto me. Gather me the people
together, and I will make them hear my words, tliat
they may learn to fear mealLthe days. that they shall
live upon the earth, and that they may teach their
children. And ye came near and stood under the
mountain ; and the mountain burned with fire unto
the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick
darkness. And the Lord spake unto you out of tlie
midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words,
but saw no similitude ; only ye heard a voice. And he
declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded
you to perform, even ten commandments; and he
wrote them upon two tables of stone.
vuiAnd the Lord commanded me at that time to teach
you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them
[ 534 ]
IV] DEUTERONOMY
in the land whither ye go over to possess it. Take ye
therefore good heed unto yourselves ; for ye sav^' no
manner of similitude on the day that the Lord s})ake
unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire : lest
ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven im-
age, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male
or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the
earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in
the air, the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the
ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters
beneath the earth: and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto
heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon,
and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest
be driven to worship them, and serve them, which
the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under
the whole heaven. But the Lord hath taken you, and
brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out
of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as
ye are this day. Furthermore the Lord was angry
with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not
go over Jordan, and that I. should not go in unto that
good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for
an inheritance : but I must die in this land, I must not
go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess
that good land. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye
forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he
[ ^35 ]
DEUTERONOMY [iv
made with you, and make you a graven image, or the
likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath
forbidden thee. For the Lord thy God is a consum-
ing fire, even a jealous God.
When thou shalt beget children, and children's
children, and ye shall have remained long in the land,
and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven im-
age, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in
the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to
anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you
this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off
the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it ;
ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall ut-
terly be destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you
among the nations, and ye shall be left few in num-
ber among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead
you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of
men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor
ticar, nor eat, nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt
seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou
seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are
come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn
to the Lord tliy God, and shalt be obedient unto his
voice ; ( for the Lord thy God is a merciful God ; ) he
will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor for-
[ oiSG ]
IV] DEUTERONOMY
get the covenant of tliy fathers which he sware unto
them. For ask now of the days that are past, which
were before thee, since the day that God created man
upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven
unto the other, whether there hath been any such
thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like
it? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking
out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and
live ? Or liath God assayed to go and take him a na-
tion from the midst of another nation, by tempta-
tions, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by
a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by
great terrors, according to all tliat the Lord your
God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Unto
thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the
Lord he is God; there is none else beside him. Out
of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he
might instru61: thee : and upon earth he shewed thee
his great fire ; and thou heardest his words out of
the midst of the fire. And because he loved thy fa-
thers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and
brought thee out in his sight v/ith his mighty power
out of Egypt ; to drive out nations from before thee
greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in,
to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is
this day. Know therefore this day, and consider it in
[ 337 ]
DEUTERONOMY [iv
thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above,
and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou
shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his command-
ments, which I command thee this day, that it may
go wxll with thee, and with thy children after thee,
and that thou may est prolong thy days upon the
earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever.
Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jor-
dan toward the sun rising; that the slayer might flee
thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares,
and hated him not in times past ; and that fleeing un-
to one of these cities he might live: namely, Bezer in
the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reuben-
ites ; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites ; and Go-
lan in Bashan, of the Manassites.
And this is the law which Moses set before the
children of Israel: these are the testimonies, and the
statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake un-
to the children of Israel, after they came forth out of
Egypt, on this side Jordan, in the valley over against
Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites,
who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the chil-
dren of Israel smote, after they were come forth out
of Egypt: and they possessed his land, and the land
of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites,
which were on this side Jordan toward the sun ris-
L 5J3S J
V] DEUTERONOMY
ing ; from Arocr, which is by the bank of the river
Anion, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon, and
all tlie plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto
the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.
And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them,
Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I
speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them,
and keep, and do them. The Lord our God made a
covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this
covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who
are all of us here alive this day. The Lord talked with
you face to face in the mount out of the midst of
the hre, ( I stood between the Lord and you at that
time, to shew you the word of the Lord: for ye were
afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the
mount;) saying,
I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage*
Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or
that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters
beneath the earth : thou shalt not bow down thyself
unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God
am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and fourth genera-
[ 539 ]
DEUTERONOMY [v
tion of them that hate me, and shewing mercy un-
to thousands of them that love me and keep my com-
mandments.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God
in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain.
Keep the sabbath day to san6fify it, as the Lord
thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt
labour, and do all thy work : but the seventh day is
the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not
do any work , thou , nor thy son , nor thy daughter, nor
thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox,
nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy
maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remem-
ber that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt,
and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence
through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm :
therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep
the sabbath day.
Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord
thy God hath commanded thee ; that thy days may
be prolonged, and that it may go well witli thee, in
the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
[ -540 ] T
V] DEUTERONOMY
Neither shalt thou steal.
Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy
neighbour.
Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, nei-
ther shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field,
or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his
ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.
These words the Lord spake unto all your assem-
bly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the
cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice;
and he added no more. And he wrote them in two
tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. And it
came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the
midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn
with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the
heads of your tribes, and your elders; and ye said.
Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory
and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out
of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that
God doth talk with man, and he liveth. Now there-
fore why should we die ? for this great fire will con-
sume us : if we hear the voice of the Lord our God
any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all
flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God
speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and
lived ? Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our
[ 541 ]
DEUTERONOMY [vi
God shall say : and speak thou unto us all that the
Lord our God shall speak unto thee ; and we will hear
it, and do it. And the Lord heard the voice of your
words, when ye spake unto me ; and the Lord said
unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this
people, which they have spoken unto thee : they have
well said all that they have spoken. O that there were
such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and
keep all my commandments always, that it might be
well with them, and with their children for ever! Go
say to them, Get you into your tents again. But as for
thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto
thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the
judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they
may do them in the land which I give them to pos-
sess it. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord
your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn
aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk
in. all the ways which the Lord your God hath com-
manded you, that ye may live, and that it may be
well with you, and that ye may prolong your days
in the land which ye shall possess.
Now these are the commandments, the statutes,
and the judgments, which the Lord your God com-
manded to teach you, that ye might do them in the
land whither ye go to possess it: that thou mightest
[ ol2 ]
Vi] DEUTERONOMY
fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his
conimandnients, whieh I coniniand thee, thou, and
thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life;
and that thy days may be prolonged.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that
it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase
mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath pro-
mised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and ho-
ney. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
And these words, which I command thee this day,
shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them di-
ligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them
when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walk-
est by the way, and when thou liest down, and when
thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign
upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets be-
tween thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the
posts of thy house, and on thy gates. And it shall be,
when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into
the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abra-
ham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and
goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, anr^ houses
full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and
wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and
[ 543 ]
DEUTERONOMY [vi
olive trees, which thou plantedst not ; when thou shalt
have eaten and be full; then beware lest thou for-
get the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the
land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt
fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt
swear by his name. Ye shall not go after other gods,
of the gods of the people which are round about you ;
(for the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you)
lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against
thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye
tempted him in Massah. Ye shall diligently keep the
commandments of the Lord your God, and his tes-
timonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded
thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good
in the sight of the Lord : that it may be well witli thee,
and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land
which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to cast out
all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath
spoken. And when thy son asketh thee in time to
come, saying. What mean the testimonies, and the
statutes, and the judgments, wliich the Lord our God
hath commanded you ? then thou slialt say unto thy
son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt ; and the
Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
and the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and
[ 54i ]
THE LAND OF EGYPT WHEKE THOU SOUEDST THV SEED, AND
WATEREDST IT WITH THV FOOT." DcitterOllOlliy xi
VII] DEUTERONOMY
sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his
household, before our eyes: and he brought us out
from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the
land which he sware unto our fathers. And the Lord
commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the
Lord our God, for our good always, that he might
preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be
our righteousness, if we observe to do all these com-
mandments before the Lord our God, as he hath
commanded us.
WhEx\ the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the
land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast
out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the
Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites,
and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites,
seven nations greater and mightier than thou ; and
when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before
thee ; thou shalt smite them , and utterly destroy them ;
thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew
mercy unto them : neither shalt thou make marriages
with them ; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his
son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
For they will turn away thy son from following me,
that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of
the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee
suddenly. But thus shall ye deal with them ; ye shall
I [ oio ] s
DEUTERONOMY [vii
destroy their altars, and break down their images,
and cut down their groves, and burn their graven im-
ages with fire. For thou art an holy people unto the
Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee
to be a special people unto himself, above all people
that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not
set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye
were more in number than any people ; for ye were
the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved
you, and because he would keep the oath which he
had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought
you out wdth a mighty hand, and redeemed you out
of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh
king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy
God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth co-
venant'and mercy with them that love him and keep
his commandments to a thousand generations ; and
repay eth them that hate him to their face, to destroy
them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he
will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep
the commandments j and the statutes, and the judg-
ments, which I command thee this day, to do them. '■
Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to
tlifeSe judgments, and keep, and do them, that the
Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and
the mercy- which he sware unto thy fathers: and he
[ 546 ] I
vii] DEUTERONOMY
will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he
will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of
thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the
increase of thy kine, and tlie flocks of thy sheep, in
the land which hesware unto thy fathers to give theCi
Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall
not be male or female barren among you, or among
your cattle. And the Lord will take away from thee
all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of
Egypt; which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay
them upon all them that hate thee. And thou shalt
consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall
deliver thee ; thine eye shall have no pity upon them :
neither shalt thou serve their gods ; for that will be a
snare unto thee. If thou shalt say in thine heart, These
nations are more than I ; how can I dispossess them ?
thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well re-
member what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh,
and unto all Egypt; the great temptations which thine
eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the
mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the
IjDrd thy God brought thee out : so shall the Lord thy
God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.
Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet
among them, until they that are left, 'and hide them-
selves from thee, be destroyed. Thou shalt not beaf-
[ 547 ]
DEUTERONOMY [viii
frighted at them : for the Lord thy God is among you,
a mighty God and terrible. And the Lord thy God
will put out those nations before thee by little and
little: thou may est not consume them at once, lest the
beasts of the field increase upon thee. But the Lord
thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall de-
stroy them with a mighty destru61ion, until they be
destroyed. And he shall deliver their kings into thine
hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under
heaven : there shall no man be able to stand before
thee, until thou have destroyed them. The graven im-
ages of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt
not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take
it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein : for it is an
abomination to the Lord thy God. Neither shalt thou
bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be
a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it,
and thou shalt utterly abhor it ; for it is a cursed thing.
All the commandments which I command thee
this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and
multiply, and go in and possess the land which the
Lord sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt re-
member all the way which the Lord thy God led thee
these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee,
and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart,
whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or
[ 548 ]
VIII] DEUTERONOMY
no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hun-
ger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest
not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make
thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but
by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old
upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man
chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth
thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments
of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to
fear him. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a
good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and
depths that spring out of valleys and hills ; a land of
wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pome-
granates; a land of oil olive, and honey; a land where-
in thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt
not lack any thing in it ; a land whose stones are iron,
and out of whose hills thou may est dig brass. When
thou liast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless
the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath
given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy
God,innot keeping his commandments, and his judg-
ments, and his statutes, which I command thee this
day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast
built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy
[ 5-t9 ]
DEUTERONOMY [ix
herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and
thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is mul-
tiplied ; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou for-
get the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out
of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
who led thee through that great and terrible wilder-
ness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and
drought, where there was no water; who brought
thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed
thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers
knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he
might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end ;
and thou say in thine heart, My power and the might
of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou
shalt remember the Lord thy God : for it is he that
giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may esta-
blish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as
it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget
the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and
serve them, and v^^orship them, I testify against you
this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations
which the Lord destroy eth before your face, so shall
ye perish ; because ye would not be obedient unto the
voice of the Lord your God.
Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this
day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier
[ ''55^' ]
ml DEUTERONOMY
than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, a
people great and tall, the children of the Anakims,
whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard
say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!
Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God
is he whicli goeth over before thee ; as a consuming
fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them
down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out,
and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto
thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the
Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee,
saying. For my righteousness the Lord hath brought
me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of
these nations the Lord doth drive them out from be-
fore thee. Not for thy righteousness, or for the up-
rightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess tlieir
land : but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord
thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and
that he may perform the word which the Lord sware
unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Under-
stand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee
not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness ;
for thou art a stifFnecked people.
Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst
the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness : from
the day that thou didst depart out of the land of
[ ^551 ]
DEUTERONOMY [ix
Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been re-
bellious against the Lord. Also in Horeb ye provoked
the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with
you to have destroyed you. When I was gone up into
the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the ta-
bles of the covenant which the Lord made with you,
then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights,
I neither did eat bread nor drink water : and the Lord
delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the
finger of God ; and on them was written according to
all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the
mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the as-
sembly. And it came to pass at the end of forty days
and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two ta-
bles of stone, even the tables of the covenant. And
the Lord said unto me. Arise, get thee down quickly
from hence ; for thy people which thou hast brought
forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves ; they
are quickly turned aside out of the way which I com-
manded them ; they have made them a molten image.
Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have
seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffiiecked peo-
ple: let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot
out their name from under heaven : and I will make
of thee a nation mightier and greater than they. So I
turned and came down from the mount, and tlie mount
[ 55^ J
IX] DEUTERONOMY
burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant
were in my two liands. And I looked, and, behold, ye
had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made
you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of
the way which the Lord had commanded you. And
I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two
hands, and brake them before your eyes. And I fell
down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and
forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink wa-
ter, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing
wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to
anger. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displea-
sure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to
destroy you. But the Lord hearkened unto me at that
time also. And the Lord was very angry with Aaron
to have destroyed him : and I prayed for Aaron also
the same time. And I took your sin, the calf which ye
had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and
ground it very small, even until it was as small as
dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that
descended out of the mount. And at Taberah, and at
Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked the
Lord to wrath. Likewise when the Lord sent you from
Kadesh-barnea, saying. Go up and possess the land
which I have given you ; then ye rebelled against the
commandment of the Lord your God, and ye believed
I [ ooii ] s2
DEUTERONOMY [x
him not, nor hearkened to his voice. Ye have been re-
bellious against tlie Lord from the day that I knew
you. Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and
forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the
Lord had said he would destroy you. I prayed there-
fore unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, destroy
nbt thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast
redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast
brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Re-
member thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to
theirwickedness,norto their sin: lest the landwhence
thou broughtest us out say, Because the Lord was not
able to bring them into the land which he promised
them, and because he hated them, he hath brought
them out to slay them in the wilderness. Yet they are
thy people and thine inheritance, which thou brought-
est out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out
-'At that time the Lord said unto me'. Hew thee two
tables of stone like unto the firsts and come up unto
me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
And I will write on the tables the words that were in
the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put
them in the ark. And I made an ark of shittim wood,
and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and
[ 554. ]
X]' DEUTERONOMY
went up into the mount, having tlie two tables in mine
hand. And he wrote on the tables, according to the
hrst writing, the ten commandments, which the Lord
spake unto 3^ou in the mount out of the midst of the
fire in the day of the assembly : and the Lord gave
them unto me. And I turned myself and came down
from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which
I had made ; and there they be, as the Lord com-
manded me.
And the children of Israel took their journey from
Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there
Aaron died, and there he was buried ; and Eleazar his
son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. From
thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from
Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.
At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi^
to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand
before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in
his name, unto this day. Wherefore Levi hath no part
nor inheritance with his brethren ; the Lord is his inhe-
ritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him.
And I stayed in the mount, according to the first
time, forty days and forty nights ; and the Lord heark-
ened unto me at that time also, and the Lord would
not destroy thee. And the Lord said unto me, Arise,
take thy journey before the people, that they may go
[ 555 ]
DEUTERONOMY [x
in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fa-
thers to give unto them.
And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God re-
quire of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk
in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord
thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his sta-
tutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the
Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein
is. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love
them, and he chose their seed after them, even you
above all people, as it is this day. Circumcise there-
fore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-
necked. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and
Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible,
which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: he
doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and wi-
dow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and
raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the
Lord thy God ; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt
thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise,
and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great
and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy
fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and
[ 556 ]
XI] DEUTERONOMY
ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made
thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and
keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments,
and his commandments, alway. And know ye this
day : for I speak not with your children which have
not known, and which have not seen the chastise-
ment of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty
hand, and his stretched out arm, and his miracles,
and his a6fs, which he did in the midst of Egypt un-
to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land ;
and what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their
horses, and to their chariots ; how he made the water
of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued af-
ter you, and how the Lord hath destroyed them un-
to this day ; and what he did unto you in the wilder-
ness, until ye came into this place; and what he did
unto Dathan and Ahiram,the sons of Eliab,the son of
Reuben : how the earth opened her mouth, and swal-
lowed them up, and their households, and their tents,
and all the substance that was in their possession, in
the midst of all Israel : but your eyes have seen all the
great afts of the Lord which he did. Therefore shall
ye keep all the commandments which I command you
this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and pos-
sess the land, whither ye go to possess it ; and that ye
[ 557 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xi
may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord
sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their
seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is
not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out,
where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with
thy foot, as a garden of herbs: but the land, whither
ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and
drinketh water of the rain of heaven: a land which the
Lord thy God careth for : the eyes of the Lord thy God
are always upon it, from the beginning of the year
even unto the end of the year.
"And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken dili-i-
gently unto my commandments which I command
you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve
him with all your heart and with all your soul, that
I will give you the rain of your land in his due sea-
son, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou may-
est gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that
thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves,
that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside,
and serve other gods, and worship tliem; and then
the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut
up the heaven, that there be no rain, and tliat the land
yield not her fruit ; and lest ye perish quickly from off
[ 558 ]
XI3 DEUTERONOMY
the good land which the Lord giveth you.
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your
heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign up-
on your hand, that they may be as frontlets between
your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children,
speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write
them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon
thy gates: that your days may be multiplied, and the
days of your children, in the land which the Lord
sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of
heaven upon the earth. /t
■j( For if ye shall diligently keep all these command-
ments which I command you, to do them, to love the
Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave
unto him ; then will the Lord drive out all these na-
tions from before you, and ye shall possess greater
nations and mightier than yourselves. Every place
whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be
yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the
river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost
sea shall your coast be. There shall no man be able
to stand before you : for the Lord your God shall lay
the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land
that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. j
[ 559 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xii
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a
curse; a blessing, ifye obey the commandments of the
Lord your God, which I command you this day : and a
curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the
Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I
command you this day, to go after other gods, which
ye have not known. And it shall come to pass, when
the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land
whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put
the blessing upon mount Gerizim,and the curse upon
mount Ebal. Are they not on the other side Jordan,
by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of
the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over
against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh? For ye
shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land
which the Lord your God giveth you, and ye shall
possess it, and dwell therein. And ye shall observe to
do all the statutes and judgments which I set before
you this day.
These are the statutes and judgments, which ye
shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God
of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days
that ye live upon the earth. Ye shall utterly destroy
all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall pos-
sess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and
upon the hills, and under every green tree: and ye
1. rAh) J
XII] DEUTERONOMY
shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars,
and burn their groves with fire ; and ye shall hew
down the graven images of their gods, and destroy
the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do
so unto the Lord your God. But unto the place which
the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes
to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall
ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: and thither ye
shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices,
and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand,
and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the
firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: and there
ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall
rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your
households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed
thee. Ye shall not do after all the things that we do
here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his
own eyes. For ye are not as yet come to the rest and
to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth
you. But when ve go over Jordan, and dwell in the
land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit,
and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies
round about^ so that ye dwell in safety ; then there
shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose
to cause his name to dwell there ; thither shall ye bring
all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and
[ ^561 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xii
your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of
your hand , and all your choice vows which ye vow un-
to the Lord : and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your
God, ye, and your sons,ahd your daughters, and your
menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite
that is within your gates ; forasmuch as he hath no
part nor inheritance with you. Take heed to thyself
that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place
that thou seest : but in the place which the Lord shall
choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy
burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I com-
mand thee. Notwithstanding thou may est kill and eat
flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth af-
ter, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God
which he hath given thee : the unclean and the clean
may eat thereof, as of the roebuck , and as of the hart.
Only ye shall not eat the blood ; ye shall pour it upon
the earth as water. -j s'la 37 10' '
Thou may est not eat within thy gates the tithe of
thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the first-
lings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows
wliich thou vowest , nor thy freewill offerings , or heave
offering of thine hand : but thou must eat them before
the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God
shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and
thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite
[ 5«o ]
my DEUTERONOMY
that is within thy gates : and tliou shalt rejoice before
the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands
unto. Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the
Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy border,
as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will
eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh ; thou
mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
If the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to
put his name there be too far from thee, then thou
shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the Lord
hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou
slialt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth af-^
ter. Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so
thou shalt eat them : the unclean and the clean shall
eat of them alike. Only be sure that thou eat not the
blood : for the blood is the life ; and thou mayest not
eat the life with the flesh. Thou shalt not eat it; thou
shalt pour it uj3on the earth as water. Thou shalt not
eat it ; that it m.ay go well with thee, and with thy
children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is
right in the sight of the Lord. Only thy holy things
which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and
go unto the place Vv hich the Lord shall choose : and
thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the
blood, upon the altar of the Lord thy God: and the
[ 563 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xiii
blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the
altar of the Lord thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.
Observe and hear all these words which I command
thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy chil-
dren after thee for ever, when thou doest that which
is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God.
When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations
from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them,
and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land ;
take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by fol-
lowing them, after that they be destroyed from be-
fore thee ; and that thou enquire not after their gods,
saying. How did these nations serve their gods ? even
so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the
Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord,
which he hateth, have they done unto their gods ; for
even their sons and their daughters they have burnt
in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I com-
mand you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add there-
to, nor diminish from it.
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of
dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the
sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake
unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which
thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou
shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or
[ 564 ]
xui] DEUTERONOMY
that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God prov-
eth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall
walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep
his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall
serve him, and cleave unto him. And that prophet,
or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death;
because he hath spoken to turn you away from the
Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of
Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bond-
age, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy
God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put
the evil away from the midst of thee.
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son,
or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy
friend, which is asthineown soul, entice thee secretly,
saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou
hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers ; namely, of the
gods of the people v/hich are round about you, nigh
unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of
the earth even unto the other end of the earth ; thou
shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him;
neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou
spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: but thou shalt
surely kill him ; thine hand shall be first upon him
to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all
[ 565 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xiii
the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that
he die ; hecause he hath sought to thrust thee away
from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. And
all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more
any such wickedness as this is among you.
If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which
the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, say-
ing, Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out
from among you, and have withdrawn the inliabitants
of their city, saying. Let us go and serve other gods,
which ye have not known ; then shalt thou enquire,
and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if
it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomina-
tion is wrought among you ; thou shalt surely smite
the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword,
destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the
cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. And thou
shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the
street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and
all the spoil thereof every whit, for the Lord thy God:
and it shall be an heap for ever ; it shall not be built
again. And there shall cleave nought of the cursed
thing to thine hand : that the Lord may turn from the
fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and
have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he
[ 566 ]
XIV] DEUTERONOMY
liath sworn unto thy fathers ; when thou shalt lieark-
en to the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep all his
commandments which I command thee this day, to do
that which is riglit in the eyes of the Lord thy God.
Ye are the children of the Lord your God : ye shall
not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between
your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people
unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen tliee
to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the na-
tions that are upon the earth.
Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. These
are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep,
and the goat, the hart, and the roebuck, and the fal-
low deer, and the wild goatj and the pygarg, and the
wild ox, and the chamois. And every beast that part-
eth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws,
and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall
eat. Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that
chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof;
as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they
chew the cud , but divide not the hoof; therefore they
are unclean unto you. And the swine, because it di-
videth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is un-
clean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor
touch their dead carcase. --^
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all
[ 567 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xiv
that have fins and scales shall ye eat: and whatso-
ever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat ; it is un-
clean unto you.
Of all clean birds ye shall eat. But these are they of
which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage,
and the ospray, and the glede, and the kite, and the
vulture after his kind, and every raven after his kind,
and the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow,
and the hawk after his kind, the little owl, and the
great owl, and the swan, and the pelican, and the gier
eagle, and the cormorant, and the stork, and the he-
ron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. And
every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you :
they shall not be eaten. But of all clean fowls ye may
eat.
Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself:
thoushalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates,
that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien:
for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed,
that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou
shalt eat before the Lord thy God , in the place which he
shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy
corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of
thy herds and of thy flocks ; that thou mayest learn to
[ 568 ]
XV] DEUTERONOMY
fear the Lord thy God always. And if the way be too
long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it;
or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord
thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the
Lord thy God hath blessed thee : then shalt thou turn
it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand,
and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God
shall choose : and thou shalt bestow that money for
whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for
sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for what-
soever thy soul desireth : and thou shalt eat there be-
fore the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou,
and thine household, and the Levite that is within thy
gates ; thou shalt not forsake him ; for he hath no part
nor inheritance with thee.
At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all
the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt
lay it up within thy gates: and the Levite, (because
he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which
are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be
satisfied ; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all
the work of thine hand which thou doest.
At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a
release. And this is the manner of the release: Every
creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall
[ 569 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xy
release it ; he shall not exa6l it of his neighbour, or
of his brother; because it is called the Lord's release.
Of a foreigner thou may est exa6f it again: but that
which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall re-
lease; save w^hen there shall.be no poor among you;
for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which
the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to
possess it: only if thou carefully hearken unto the
voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these
commandments which I command thee this day. For
the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee :
and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt
not borrow ; and thou shalt reign over many na.tions,
but they, s^hall not reign ov^r thee>rj -jiBrfg uoib ; 8i) ju^,
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy
brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which
the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden
thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor bro-
ther: but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him,
and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in
that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a
thought in thy wicked heart, saying. The seventh
year, the year of release, is at hand ; and thine eye
be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him
nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and
it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and
[ 570 ]
Kvy DEUTERONOMY
thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest
unto him : because that for this thing the Lord thy
God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that
thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never
cease out of the land : therefore I command thee, say-
ing, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy bro-
ther, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
.. And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew
woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years;
then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free
from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from
thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty : thou shalt
furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy
floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the
Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto
him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bond-
man in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God re-
deemed thee : therefore I command thee this thing to
day. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not
go away from thee ; because he loveth thee and thine
house, because he is well with thee ; then thou shalt
take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the
door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also
unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. It shall
not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away
free from thee ; for he hath been worth a double hired
[ 571 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xvi
servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the
Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of
thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God :
thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bul-
lock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep. Thou shalt
eat it before the Lord thy God year by year in the
place which the Lord shall choose, thou and thy house-
hold. And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be
lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not
sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt eat it
within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person
shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart. Only
thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour
it upon the ground as water.
Observe the month of Abib, and keep the pass-
over unto the Lord thy God : for in the month of Abib
the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt
by night. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover
unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd,
in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his
name there. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with
it ; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread there-
with, even the bread of affli6lion; for tliou camest
forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thoumay-
est remember the day when thou camest forth out of
[ '^^^2 ]
XVI] DEUTERONOMY
the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. And there
shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy
coasts seven days ; neither shall there any thing of the
flesh., which thou sacrificedst the first day at even,
remain all night until the morning. Thou mayest not
sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which
the Lord thy God giveth thee : but at the place which
the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in,
there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the
going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest
forth out of Egypt. And thou shalt roast and eat it in
the place which the Lord thy God shall choose : and
thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.
Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread : and on the
seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord
thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.
Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin
to number the seven weeks from such time as thou
beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. And thou shalt
keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with
a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which
thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according as
the Lord thy God hath blessed thee : and thou shalt
rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son,
and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maid-
servant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and
[ 573 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xvi
the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that
are among yoUj in the place which the Lord thy God
hath chosen to place his name there. And thou shalt
remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt : and
thou shalt observe and do these statutes.
Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven
days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and
thy wine: and thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou,
and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant,
and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger,
and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy
gates. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto
the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord shall
choose : because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in
all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands,
therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear
before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall
choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the
feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and
they shall not appear before the Lord empty : every
man shall give as he is able, according to the bless-
ing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy
gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, through-
out thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with
[ 574 ]
i\^jf] DEUTERONOMY
just judgment. Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thoii
shalt not respe6l persons, neither take a gift: for a
gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the
words of the righteous. That which is altogether jiist
shalt thou follow, that thou may est live, and inherit
the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near
unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt
make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image ;
which the Lord thy God hateth. ^' :i^: -o ^iiiiiii
Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any
bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfa-
vouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord
thy God. ^^^ ^^^f^^ ^^^'-'^ « 2?-oodo ihra*.
If there be found among you. Within any of thy
gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or
woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight
of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant;
and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped
them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of
Heaveti, which I have not commanded ; and it be told
thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently,
and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that
such abomination is wrought in Israel: then shalt thou
bring forth that man or that woman, which have c6m-
niitted that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that
[ 575 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xvn
man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones,
till they die. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three
witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to
death ; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not
be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be
first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the
hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away
from among you.
If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judg-
ment, between blood and blood, between plea and
plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters
of controversy within thy gates : then shalt thou arise,
and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God
shall choose ; and thou shalt come unto the priests the
Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those
days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sen-
tence of judgment: and thou shalt do according to
the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord
shall choose shall shew thee ; and thou shalt observe
to do according to all that they inform thee : accord-
ing to the sentence of the law which they shall teach
thee, and according to the judgment which they shall
tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from
the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right
hand, nor to the left. And the man that will do pre- .
sumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that
[ 576 ]
XVII] DEUTERONOMY
stancleth to minister there before the Lord thy God,
or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou
shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the peo-
ple shall hear, and fear, and do no more presump-
tuously.
When thou art come unto the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt
dwell therein, and shalt say , I will set a king over me,
like as all the nations that are about me ; thou shalt
in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord
thy God shall choose : one from among thy brethren
shalt thou set king over thee : thou may est not set a
stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. But he
shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the
people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should
multiply horses : forasmuch as the Lord hath said un-
to you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his
heart turn not away : neither shall he greatly multi-
ply to himself silver and gold. And it shall be, when
he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he
shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that
which is before the priests the Levites : and it shall
be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of
his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God,
to keep all the words of this law and these statutes,
I [ 577 ] T
DEUTERONOMY [xviii
to do them : that his heart be not lifted up above his
brethren, and that he turn not aside from the com-
mandment, to the right hand, or to the left : to the end
that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and
his children, in the midst of Israel.
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi,
shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they
shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and
his inheritance. Therefore shall they have no inherit-
ance among their brethren : the Lord is their inherit-
ance, as he hath said unto them.
And this shall be the priest's due from the people,
from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or
sheep ; and they shall give unto the priest the shoul-
der, and the two cheeks, and the maw. The firstfruit
also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the
first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy
tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord,
him and his sons for ever.
And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of
all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the
desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall
choose; then he shall minister in the name of the Lord
his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand
there before the Lord. They shall have like portions
[ 5^8 ]
XVIII] DEUTERONOMY
to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his
patrimony. • '
When tliou art come into the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after
the abominations of those nations. There shall not be
found among you any one that maketh his son or
his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter,
or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar
spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do
these things are an abomination unto the Lord : and
because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth
drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be per^
fe6l with the Lord thy God. For these nations, which
thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times,
and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God
hath not suffered thee so to do.
' The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Pro-
phet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto
me ; unto him ye shall hearken ; according to all that
thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the
day of the assembly, saying. Let me not hear again
the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this
great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said
unto me,They have well spoken that which they have
spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among
[ 579 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xix
their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words
in his mouth ; and he shall speak unto them all that I
shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he
shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.. But
the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in
my name, which I have not commanded him to speak,
or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even
that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart,
How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not
spoken.^ when a prophet speaketh in the name of the
Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that
is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the
prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt
not be afraid of him.
When the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations,
whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou
succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in
their houses ; thou shalt separate three cities for thee
in the midst of thy land, which tne Lord thy God giv-
eth thee to possess it. Thou shalt prepare thee a way,
and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy
God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every
slayer may flee thither.
And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee
thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neigh-
[ 580 ]
XIX] DEUTERONOMY
hour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past ; as
when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour
to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the
axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from
the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he
die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while
his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way
is long, and slay him ; whereas he was not worthy of
death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt sepa-
rate three cities for thee. And if the Lord thy God
enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers,
and give thee all the land which he promised to give
unto thy fathers ; if thou shalt keep all these com-
mandments to do them, which I command thee this
day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in
his ways ; then shalt thou add three cities more for
thee, beside these three : that innocent blood be not
shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee
for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait
for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mor-
tally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him
thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger
[ 581 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xx
of blood, that he may die. Thine eye shall not pity
him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent
blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark,
which they of old time have set in thine inheritance,
which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord, thy
God giveth thee to possess it. ■ • -'
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any
iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at
the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three
witnesses, shall the matter be established.
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify
against him that which is wrong ; then both the men,
between whom the controversy is, shall stand before
the Lord,before the priests and the judges, which shall
be in those days; and the judges shall make diligent
inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false wit-
ness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have
done unto his brother : so shalt thou put the evil away
from among you. And those which remain shall hear,
and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any
such evil among you. And thine eye shall not pity ; but
life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand
for hand, foot for foot,
i When thou goest out to battle against thine ene-
[ 582 ]
XX] DEUTERONOMY
mies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more
th'dn thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God
is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of
Egypt. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto
the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak un-
to the people, and shall say unto them, Hear,0 Israel,
ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies :
let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble,
neither be ye terrified because of them ; for the Lord
your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you
against your enemies, to save you.
And the officers shall speak unto the people, say-
ing. What man is there that hath built a new house,
and hath not dedicated it ? let him go and return to his
house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedi-
cate it. And what man is he that hath planted a vine-
yard, and hath not yet eaten of it ? let him also go and
return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and an-
other man eat of it. And what man is there that hath
betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her.? let him go
and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and
another man take her. And the officers shall .speak
further unto the people, and they shall say, Whatman
is there that is fearful and fainthearted.? let him go
and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart
faint as well as his heart. And it shall be, when the
[ 583 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xx
officers have made an end of speaking unto the peo-
ple, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead
the people.
When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against
it, then proclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, if it
make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then
it shall be, that all the people that is found therein
shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve
thee. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will
make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: and
when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine
hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the
edge of the sword: but the women, and the little ones,
and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the
spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou
shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, w^hich the Lord
thy God hath given thee. Thus shalt thou do unto all
the cities which are very far off from thee, which are
not of the cities of these nations. But of the cities of
these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee
for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that
breatheth : but thou shalt utterly destroy them; name-
ly,the Hittites,and the Amorites,the Canaanites,and
the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the
Lord thy God hath commanded thee : that they teach
you not to do after all their abominations, which they
[ 584 ]
XXI] DEUTERONOMY
have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against
the Lord your God.
When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in mak-
ing war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy
the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them : for
thou may est eat of th.em, and thou shalt not cut them
down ( for the tree of the field is man's life ) to employ
them in the siege : only the trees which thou knowest
that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and
cut them down ; and thou shalt build bulwarks against
the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and
it be not known who hath slain him : then thy elders
and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall mea-
sure unto the cities which are round about him that is
slain: and it shall be, that the city which is next unto
the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an
heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which
hath not drawn in the yoke; and the elders of that
city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley,
which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off
the heifer's neck there in the valley : and the priests
the sons of Levi shall come near ; for them the Lord
thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to
bless in the name of the Lord ; and by their word shall
I [ 58.3 ] t2
DEUTERONOMY [xxi
every controversy and every stroke be tried : and all
the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain
man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is be-
headed in the valley: and they shall answer and say,
Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our
eyes seen it. Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Is-
rael, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay uot inno-
cent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the
blood shall be forgiven them. So shalt thou put away
the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when
thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the
Lord.
When thou goest forth to war against thine ene-
mies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into
thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, and
seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast
a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy
wife ; then thou shalt bring her home to thine house ;
and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails ; and
she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off
ber, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her
father and her mother a full month: and after that
thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she
shall be thy wife. And it shall be, if thou have no de-
light in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she
will ; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou
[ 5.S(J ]
XXI] DEUTERONOMY
shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast
humbled her.
If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another
hated, and they have born him children, both the be-
loved and tlie hated ; and if the firstborn son be hers
that was hated: then it shall be, when he maketh his
sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not
make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son
of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: but he shall
acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn,
by giving him a double portion of all that he hatli : for
he is the beginning of his strength ; the right of the
firstborn is his. \
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which
will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of
his mother, and that, when they have chastened him,
will not hearken unto them : then shall his father and
his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto
the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
and they shall say unto the elders of his city. This
our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey
our voice ; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the
men ofhis city shall stone him with stones,thathedie:
so shalt thou put evil away from among you ; and all
Israel shall hear, and fear.
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death,
[ 587 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxii
and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a
tree: his body shall not remain all night upon the tree,
but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day ; ( for he
that is hanged is accursed of God ; ) that thy land be
not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for
an inheritance.
Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go
astray, and hide thyself from them : thou shalt in any
case bring them again unto thy brother. And if thy
brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not,
then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it
shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and
thou shalt restore it to him again. In like manner shalt
thou do with his ass ; and so shalt thou do with his rai-
ment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which
he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do like-
wise: thou mayest not hide thyself.
Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall
down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou
shalt surely help him to lift them up again.
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth
unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's
garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the
Lord thy God.
If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way
in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young
[ 588 ]
XXII] DEUTERONOMY
ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young,
or upon tlie eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with
the young: but thou shalt in any wise let the dam go,
and take the young to thee ; that it may be well with
thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days.
When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt
make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not
blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds:
lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the
fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.
Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.
Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as
of woollen and linen together.
Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quar-
ters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and
hate her, and give occasions of speech against her,
and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took
this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not
a maid: then shall the father of the damsel, and her
mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the dam-
sel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:
and the damsers father shall say unto the elders, I
gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hat-
eth her; and, lo, he hath given occasions of speech
[ 589 ]
DEUTERONOMY cxxri
against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid;
and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virgin-
ity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders
of the city. And the elders of that city shall take that
man and chastise him ; and they shall amerce him in
an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the
father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an
evil name upon a virgin of Israel : and she shall be his
v^ife ; he may not put her away all his days. But if this
thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found
for the damsel : then they shall bring out the damsel
to the door of her father's house, and the men of her
city shall stone her with stones that she die : because
she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in
her father's house : so shalt thou put evil away from
among you.
If a man be found lying with a woman married to
an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the
man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt
thou put away evil from Israel.
if a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an hus-
band, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her ;
then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that
city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die;
the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city-;
and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's
[ 590 ]
XXIII] DEUTERONOMY
wife : so thou shalt put awa}^ evil from among you.
But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field,
and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man
only that lay with her shall die : but unto the damsel
thou shalt do nothing ; there is in the damsel no sin
worthy of death : for as when a man riseth against his
neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: for
he found lier in the field, and the betrothed damsel
cried, and there was none to save her.
If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not
betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and
they be found ; then the man that lay with her shall
give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver,
and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled
her, he may not put her away all his days.
A man shall not take his father's wife, nor-discover
his father's skirt.'>^r*;rb 1. 'r^?^•^r -rA
He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy
member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation
of the Lord. A bastard shall not enter into the congre-
gation of the Lord ; even to his tenth generation shall
he not enter into the congregation of the Lord. An Am-
monite or Moabite shall not enter into the congrega-
tion of the Lord ; even to their tenth generation shall
they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for
ever : because they met you not with bread and with
[ 591 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxiii
water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt;
and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of
Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. Never-
theless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Ba-
laam ; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a
blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved
thee. Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their pro-
sperity all thy days for ever.
Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite ; for he is thy bro-
ther: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian ; because thou
wast a stranger in his land. The children that are be-
gotten of them shall enter into the congregation of
the Lord in their third generation.
When the host goeth forth against thine enemies,
then keep thee from every wicked thing.
If there be among you any man, that is not clean
by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night,
then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not
come within the camp: but it shall be, when evening
Cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and
when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp
again.
Thou shalt have a place also without the camp,
whither thou shalt go forth abroad : and thou shalt
have a paddle upon thy weapon ; and it shall be, when
thou wilt ease thy self abroad, thou shalt dig therewith.
[ 59^ ]
XXIII] DEUTERONOMY
and shalt turn back and cover tliat which cometh from
thee: for the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of
thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine ene-
mies before thee ; therefore shall thy camp be holy :
that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away
from thee.
Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant
which is escaped from his master unto thee: he shall
dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which
he shall chooseinoneof thy gates, where it liketh him
best: thou shalt not oppress him.
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel,
nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. Thou shalt not
bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into
the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even
both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother;
usury of money , usury of victuals, usury of any thing
that is lent upon usury : unto a stranger thou may est
lend upon usury ; but unto thy brother thou shalt not
lend upon usury : that the Lord thy God may bless
thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land
whither thou goest to possess it.
When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy
God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy
God will surely require it of thee ; and it would be sin
[ 593 ]
DEUTERONOMY txxiv
in thee. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no
sin in thee. That which is gone out of thy lips thou
shalt keep and perform ; even a freewill offering, ac-
cording as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God,
which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard,
then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own plea-
sure ; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. When
thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour,
then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand ;
but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's
standing corn, fsh ^rftlo ^-rodw on '^fMfnrl?. '^rrnfT
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her^
and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes,
because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then
let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in
her hand, and send her out of his house. And when
she is departed out of his house, she may go and be
another man's wife. And if the latter husband hate
her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it
in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if
the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;
her former husband, which sent her away, may not
take her again to be his vv'ife, after that she is defiled ,•
for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou
shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy
t 594 ]
XXIV] DEUTERONOMY
God giveth thee for an inheritance.
When a man hatli taken a new wife, he shall not
go out to war, neither shall he he charged with any
business : but he shall be free at home one year, and
shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone
to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge.
If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the
children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or
selleth him ; then that thief shall die ; and thou shalt
put evil away from among you. f- -r, ;;:
Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou ob-
serve diligently , and do according to all that the priests
the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so
ye shall observe to do. Remember what the Lord thy
God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ;ye were
come forth out of Egypt.- n^ Tp-^^'f* «^ lo^noT l^r;
'-When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou
shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. Thou
shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost
lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.
And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his
pledge: in any case thou shalt deliver him the. pledge
again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in
his own raiment, and bless thee : and it shall be right-
eousness unto thee before the Lord thy Godi .o. ];;;£
[ 595 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxiv
Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor
and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy
strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: at his
day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun
go down upon it ; for he is poor, and setteth his heart
upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it
be sin unto thee.
The fathers shall not be put to death for the chil-
dren, neither shall the children be put to death for the
fathers : every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stran-
ger, nor of the fatherless ; nor take a widow's raiment
to pledge: but thou shalt remember that thou wast a
bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed
thee thence : therefore I command thee to do this thing.
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field,
and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go
again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the
fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God
may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When
thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over
the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the
fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest
the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it af-
terward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless,
and for the widow. And thou shalt remember that thou
[ 59() J
XXV] DEUTERONOMY
wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I
command thee to do this thing.
If there be a controversy between men, and they
come untoJLidgment, that the judges may judge them ;
then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the
wicked. And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy
to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down,
and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault,
by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him,
and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat
him above these with many stripes, then thy brother
should seem vile unto thee.
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out
the corn.
If brethren dwell together, and one of them die,
and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not mar-
ry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother
shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and
perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.
And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth
shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead,
that his name be not put out of Israel. And if the man
like not to take his brother's wife, then let his bro-
ther's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say,
My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his
brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty
[ 597 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxv
of my husband's brother. Then the elders of his city
shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to
it, and say, I like not to take her; then shall his bro-
ther's wife come unto him in the presence of the el-
ders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in
his face, and shall answer and say. So shall it be done
unto that man that will not build up his brother's
house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The
house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
When men strive together one with another, and
the wife of the one drawetli near for to deliver her
husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and
putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:
then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not
pity her. . Dnii /i^iijS
Thou shall not liav'e in thy bag divers weights, a
great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house
divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt
have a perfe6l and just weight, a perfe6l and just mea-
sure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened
in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For
all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously,
are an abomination unto the Lord thy God. ' -^'^'^
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way ,
when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met
thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even
[ 598 ]
XXVI] DEUTERONOMY
all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint
and weary ; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall
be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from
all thine enemies round about, in the land which the
Lord thy God givetli thee for an inheritance to pos-
sess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of
Amalek from under heaven ; thou shalt not forget it.
bf.AND it shall be, when thou art come in unto the
land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an in-
heritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; that
thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth,
which thou shalt bring of tliy land that the Lord thy
God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt
go unto the place w^hich the Lord thy God shall choose
to place his name there. And thou shalt go unto the
priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him,
I profess this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am
pome unto the country which theLord swareunto our
fathers for to give us. And the priest shall take the
basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the
altar of the Lord thy God. And thou shalt speak and
say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish
was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and
sojourned there with a few, and became there a na-
tion, great, mighty , and populous : and the Egyptians
evil entreated us, and affli6fed us, and laid upon us
[ 599 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxvi
hard bondage : and when we cried unto the Lord God
of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked
on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression :
and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a
mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with
great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
and he hath brought us into this place, and hath given
us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and
honey. And now, behold, I have brought the first-
fruits of the land, which thou,0 Lord, hast given me.
And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and
worship before the Lord thy God : and thou shalt re-
joice in every good thing which the Lord thy God
hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and
the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes
of thine increase the third year, which is the year of
tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger,
the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat with-
in thy gates, and be filled ; then thou shalt say before
the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed
things out of mine house, and also have given them
unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the father-
less, and to the widow, according to all thy command-
ments which thou hast commanded me: I have not
transgressed thy commandments, neitlier have 1 for-
[ 600 ]
XXVII] DEUTERONOMY
gotten them : I have not eaten thereof in my mourn-
ing, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any
uncleanuse,norgivenoughtthereof for the dead: hut
I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and
have done according to all that thou hast commanded
me. Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven,
and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou
hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land
that floweth with milk and honey.
This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee
to do these statutes and Judgments: thou shalt there-
fore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with
all thy soul. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to
be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his
statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments,
and to hearken unto his voice: and the Lord hath
avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he
hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all
his commandments ; and to make thee high above all
nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name,
and in honour ; and that thou mayest be an holy peo-
ple unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.
And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the
people, saying. Keep all the commandments which I
command you this day. And it shall be on the day
when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which
[ 601 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxvii
the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee
up great stones, and plaister them with plaister : and
thoLi shalt write upon them all the words of this law,
when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in un*
to the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land
that floweth with milk and honey ; as the Lord God
of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall
be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up
these stones, which I command you this day, in mount
Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. And
there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God,
an altar of stones : thou shalt not lift up any iron tool
upon them. Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy
God of whole stones : and thou shalt offer burnt offers
ings thereon unto the Lord thy God : and thou shalt
offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice
before the Lord thy God. And thou shalt write upon
the stones all the words of this law very plainly. -A
1: And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto
all Israel, saying. Take heed, and hearken, O Israel ;
this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy
God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord
thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes,
which I command thee this day. 5
And Moses charged the people the same day, say-
ing. These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless
[ 602 ]
XXVII] DEUTERONOMY , :-
the people, when ye are come over Jordan ; Simeon^
and Levi, and Jiidali, and Issachar, and Joscpli, and
Benjamin: and these shall stand upon mount Ehal to
curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan,
and Naphtali.
And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the
men of Israel with a loud voice, Cursed be the man
that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomiT
nation unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the
craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all
the people shall answer and say. Amen. Cursed be
he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And
all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that re-
mo veth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people
shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that maketh the blind
to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say,
Amen. Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment
of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the
people shall say. Amen. Cursed be he that lieth with
his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's
skirt. And all the people shall say. Amen. Cursed be
he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the
people shall say. Amen. Cursed be he that lieth with
his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter
of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all
[ 603 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxviii
the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he thatsmiteth
his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say,
Amen. Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an
innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this
law to do them. And all the people shall say. Amen.
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken dili-
gently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe
and to do all his commandments which I command
thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on
high above all nations of the earth: and all these bless-
ings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou
shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt
thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy
body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy
cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy
sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Bless-
ed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed
shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall
cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be
smitten before thy face : they shall come out against
thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The
Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy
storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand
unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the
[ (J04 ]
XXVIII] DEUTERONOMY
Lord thy God giveth thee. The Lord shall establish
thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn
unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of
the Lord thy God, and walk in his w^ays. And all peo-
ple of the eartli shall see that thou art called by the
name of the Lord ; and they shall be afraid of thee.
And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in
the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle,
and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the
Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The Lord
shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to
give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless
all the work of tliine hand : and thou shalt lend unto
many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the
Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and
thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be be-
neath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments
of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day,
to observe and to do them: and thou shalt not go aside
from any of the words which I command thee this
day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other
gods to serve them.
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken
unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do
all his commandments and his statutes which I com-
mand thee this day ; that all these curses shall come
[ 605 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxviii
upon thee, and overtake thee : cursed shalt thou be in
the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed
shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the
fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase
of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt
thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou
be when thou goest out. The Lord shall send upon
thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all thatthou set-
test thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed,
and until thou perish quickly; because of the wicked-
ness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee,
until he have consumed thee from off the land, whi-
ther thou goest to possess it. The Lord shall smite thee
with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an in-
flammation, and with an extreme burning, and with
the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and
they shall pursue thee until thou perish. And thy hea-
ven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth
that is under thee shall be iron. The Lord shall make
the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven
shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine
enemies : thou shalt go out one way against them, and
flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed
into all the kingdoms of the earth. And thy carcase
[ 606 ]
XXVIII] DEUTERONOMY
shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the
beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.
The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt,
and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with
the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The Lord
shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and as-
tonishment of heart: and thou shalt grope at noon-
day, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt
not prosper in thy ways : and thou shalt be only op-
pressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save
thee. Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall
lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt
not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and
shalt not gather the grapes thereof. Thine ox shall be
slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof:
thine ass shall be violently taken away from before
thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep
shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have
none to rescue them. Thy sons and thy daughters shall
be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall
look, and fail with longing for them all the day long:
and there shall be no might in thine hand. The fruit
of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which
thou knowest not eat up ; and thou shalt be only op-
pressed and crushed alway : so that thou shalt be mad
for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. The
[ 607 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxviii
Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs,
with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole
of thy foot unto the top of thy head. The Lord shall
bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over
thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers
have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods,
wood and stone. And thou shalt become an astonish-
ment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations
whither the Lord shall lead thee. Thou shalt carry
much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little
in ; for the locust shall consume it. Thou shalt plant
vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of
the wine, nor gather the grapes ; for the worms shall
eat them. Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all
thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the
oil ; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. Thou shalt be-
get sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them ;
for they shall go into captivity. All thy trees and fruit
of thy land shall the locust consume. The stranger
that is within thee shall get up above thee very high ;
and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend
to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him : he shall be
the head, and thou shalt be the tail. Moreover all these
curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee,
and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed ; because thou
hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God,
[ 608 ]
XXVIII] DEUTERONOMY
to keep his commandments and his statutes which he
commanded thee : and they shall be upon thee for a
sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God withjoy-
fulness,and with gladness of heart, for the abundance
of all things ; therefore slialt thou serve thine enemies
which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and
in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things:
and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he
have destroyed thee. The Lord shall bring a nation
against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as
swift as the eagle flieth ; a nation whose tongue thou
shalt not understand ; a nation of fierce countenance,
which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew
favour to the young : and he shall eat the fruit of thy
cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed:
which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or
oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep,
until he have destroyed thee. And he shall besiege
thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls
come dowai, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all
thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates
throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath
given thee. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own
body , the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which
the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in
I [ 609 ] u
DEUTERONOMY [xxviii
the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress
thee: so that the man that is tender among you, and
very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother,
and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the
remnant of his children which he shall leave : so that
he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his chil-
dren whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing" left
him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine
enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. The ten-
der and delicate woman among you, which would not
adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground
for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil
toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her
son, and toward her daughter, and toward her young
one that cometh out from between her feet, and to-
ward her children which she siiall bear: for she shall
eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege
and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress
thee in thy gates. If thou wilt not observe to do all the
words of this law that are written in this book, that
thou may est fear this glorious and fearful name, The
Lord Thy God ; then the Lord will make thy plagues
wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great
plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses,
and of long continuance. Moreover he will bring up-
on thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast
[ 610 ]
XXVIII] DEUTERONOMY
afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every
sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the
book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee,
until thou be destroyed. And ye shall be left few in
number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for
multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice
of the Lord thy God. And it shall come to pass, that
as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to
multiply you ; so the Lord will rejoice over you to de-
stroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall
be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to
possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all
people, from the one end of the earth even unto the
other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which
neither thou nor th}^ fathers have known, even wood
and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find
no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest:
but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart,
and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind : and thy life
shall hang in doubt before thee ; and thou shalt fear
day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy
life: in the morning thou shalt say. Would God it
w^ere even! and at even thou shalt say. Would God
it were morning ! for the fear of thine heart where-
with thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes
which thou shalt see. And the Lord shall bring thee in-
[ 611 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxix
to Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake
unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again : and there
ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and
bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
These are the words of the covenant, which the
Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of
Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which
he made with them in Horeb.
And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto
them. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your
eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pliaraoh, and unto all
his servants, and unto all his land ; the great tempta-
tions which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those
great miracles : yet the Lord hath not given you an
heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear,
unto this day. And I have led you forty years in the
wilderness : your clothes are not waxen old upon you,
and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Ye have
not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong
drink : that ye might know that I am the Lord your
God. And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the
king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan,came out
against us unto battle, and we smote them : and we
took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the
Reubenites , and to the Gadites , and to the half tribe of
Manasseh. Keep therefore the words of this covenant,
[ 612 ]
XXIX] DEUTERONOMY
and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your
God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and
your officers, with all the men of Israel, your little
ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp,
from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy
water: that thou shouldest enter into covenant with
the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord
thy God maketh with thee this day : that he may es-
tablish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that
he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee,
and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham,
to Isaac, and to Jacob. Neither with you only do I
make this covenant and this oath ; but with him that
standeth here with us this day before the Lord our
God, and also with him that is not here with us this
day : ( for ye know how we have dwelt in the land of
Egypt; and how we came through the nations which
ye passed by; and ye have seen their abominations,
and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which
were among them : ) lest there should be among you
man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turn-
eth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and
serve the gods of these nations ; lest there should be
among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood ;
and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of
[ 613 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxix
this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying,
I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination
of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst : the Lord
will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord
and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and
all the curses that are written in this book shall lie
upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from
under heaven. And the Lord shall separate him unto
evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the
curses of the covenant that are written in this book of
the law : so that the generation to come of your chil-
dren that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that
shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see
the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the
Lord hath laid upon it; and that the whole land there-
of is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not
sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein,
like the overthrow of Sodom , and Gomorrah , Admah ,
and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger,
and in his wrath: even all nations shall say. Wherefore
hath the Lord done thus unto this land ? what mean-
eth the heat of this great anger ? Then men shall say.
Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord
God of their fathers, which he made with them when
he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: for
they went and served other gods, and worshipped
[ 614 ]
XXX] DEUTERONOMY
them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had
not given unto them : and the anger of the Lord was
kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the
curses that are written in this book : and the Lord
rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath,
and in great indignation, and cast them into another
land, as it is this day. The secret things belong unto
the Lord our God: but those things which are re-
vealed belong unto us and to our children for ever,
that we may do all the words of this law.
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are
come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I
have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind
among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath
driven thee, and shalt return unto die Lord thy God,
and shalt obey his voice according to all that I com-
mand thee this day, thou and thy children, with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul ; that then the Lord
thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion
upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all
the nations, whither the Lord thy God liath scattered
thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost
parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God
gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: and
the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which
thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and
[ 615 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxx
he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fa-
thers. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine
heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy
God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that
thou mayest live. And the Lord thy God will put all
these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that
hate thee, which persecuted thee. And thou shalt re-
turn and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his
commandments which I command thee this day. And
the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every
work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body , and in the
fruitof thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good:
for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as
he rejoiced over thy fathers : if thou shalt hearken un-
to the voice of the Lord thy God , to keep his command-
ments and his statutes which are written in this book
of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God
with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
For this commandment which I command thee this
day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is
not in heaven, that thou shouldest say. Who shall go
up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may
hear it, and do \t? Neither is it beyond the sea, that
thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us,
and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it.-^
But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth,
[ 616 ]
XXXI] DEUTERONOMY
and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
See, I have set before thee this day life and good,
and death and evil; in that I command thee this day
to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and
to keep his commandments and his statutes and his
judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and
the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither
thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away,
so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away,
and worship other gods, and serve them ; I denounce
unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that
ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither
thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call hea-
ven and earth to record this day against you, that I
have set before you life and death, blessing and curs-
ing : therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed
may live : that thou mayest love the Lord thy God , and
that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest
cleave unto him : for he is thy life, and the length of
thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the
Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob, to give them.
And Moses went and spake these words unto all
Israel. And he said unto them, I am an hundred and
twenty years old this day ; I can no more go out and
come in : also the Lord hath said unto me. Thou shalt
I [ 617 ] u2
DEUTERONOMY [xxxi
not go over this Jordan. The Lord thy God, he will go
over before thee, and he will destroy these nations
from before thee, and thou shalt possess them : and
Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath
said. And the Lord shall do unto them as he did to Si-
hon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the
land of them, whom he destroyed. And the Lord shall
give them up before your face, that ye may do unto
them according unto all the commandments which I
have commanded you. Be strong and of a good cour-
age, fear not, nor be afraid of them : for the Lord thy
God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee.
And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him
in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good cour-
age: for thou must go with this people unto the land
which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give
them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the
Lord, he it is that doth go before thee ; he will be with
thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear
not, neither be dismayed.
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto
the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the
covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Lsrael.
And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of
every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of
[ 618 ]
XXXI] DEUTERONOMY
release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is
come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place
which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law be-
fore all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people to-
gether, men, and women, and children, and thy stran-
ger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and
that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and
observe to do all the words of this law^ : and that their
children, which have not known any thing, may hear,
and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye
live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to pos-
sess it.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days
approach that thou must die : call Joshua, and present
yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that
I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went,
and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the con-
gregation. And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle
in a pillar of a cloud : and the pillar of the cloud stood
over the door of the tabernacle.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt
sleep with thy fathers ; and this people will rise up, and
go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the
land, whither they go to be among them, and will for-
sake me, and break my covenant which I have made
with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against
[ 619 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxxi
them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will
hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured,
and many evils and troubles shall befall them ; so that
they will say in that day. Are not these evils come up-
on us, because our God is not among us? And I will
surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which
they shall have wrought, in that they are turned un-
to other gods. Now therefore write ye this song for
you, and teach it the children of Israel : put it in their
mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against
the children of Israel. For when I shall have brought
them into the land which I sware unto their fathers,
that flov/eth with milk and honey ; and they shall have
eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will
they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and pro-
voke me, and break my covenant. And it shall come to
pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them,
that this song shall testify against them as a witness ;
for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their
seed: for I know their imagination which they go
about, even now, before I have brought them into the
land which I sware.
Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and
taught it the children of Israel. And he gave Joshua
the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of
a good courage : for thou shalt bring the children of
[ 620 ]
XXXII] DEUTERONOMY
Israel into the land which I sware unto them : and I
will be with thee.
And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end
of writing the words of this law in a book , until they
were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites,
which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, say-
ing, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side
of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that
it may be there for a witness against thee. For I know
thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am
yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious
against the Lord ; and how much more after my death ?
Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your
officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and
call heaven and earth to record against them. For I
know that after my death ye w^ill utterly corrupt your-
selves, and turn aside from the way which I have com-
manded you ; and evil will befall you in the latter days ;
because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to pro-
voke him to anger through the work of your hands.
And Moses spake in the ears of all the congrega-
tion of Israel the words of this song, until they were
ended.
Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak;
And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
[ 621 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxxii
My doclrine shall drop as the rain,
My speech shall distil as the dew,
As the small rain upon the tender herb.
And as the showers upon the grass:
Because I will publish the name of the Lord:
Ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
He is the Rock, his work is perfe6l:
For all his ways are judgment:
A God of truth and without iniquity.
Just and right is he.
They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not
the spot of his children :
They are a perverse and crooked generation.
Do ye thus requite the Lord,
O foolish people and unwise ?
Is not he thy father that hath bought thee ?
Hath he not made thee, and established thee.^
Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of many generations:
Ask thy father, and he will shew thee;
Thy elders, and they will tell thee.
When the Most High divided to the nations their
inheritance.
When he separated the sons of Adam,
He set the bounds of the people
According to the number of the children of Israel.
For the Lord's portion is his people;
[ 622 ]
XXXII] DEUTERONOMY
Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
He found him in a desert land,
And in the waste howling wilderness;
He led him about, he instru61:ed him,
He kept him as the apple of his eye.
As an eagle stirreth up her nest,
Fluttereth over her young,
Spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them,
Beareth them on her wings:
So the Lord alone did lead him.
And there was no strange god with him.
He made him ride on the high places of the earth,
That he might eat the increase of the fields;
And he made him to suck honey out of the rock^
And oil out of the flinty rock ;
Butter of kine, and milk of sheep.
With fat of lambs,
And rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats,
With the fat of kidneys of wheat ;
And thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.
But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked :
Thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou
art covered with fatness ;
Then he forsook God which made him.
And lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods,
With abominations provoked they him to anger.
[ 623 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxxii
They sacrificed unto devils, not to God;
To gods whom they knew not,
To new gods that came newly up,
Whom your fathers feared not.
Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful,
And hast forgotten God that formed thee.
And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them,
Because of the provoking of his sons, and of his
daughters.
And he said, I will hide my face from them,
I will see what their end shall be:
For they are a very fro ward generation,
Children in whom is no faith.
They have moved me to jealousy with that which
is not God;
They have provoked me to anger with their vani-
ties:
And I will move them to jealousy with those which
are not a people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
For a fire is kindled in mine anger.
And shall burn unto the lowest hell,
And shall consume the earth with her increase.
And set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
I will heap mischiefs upon them ;
I will spend mine arrows upon them.
They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured
with burning heat,
L (>^^ J
XXXII] DEUTERONOMY
And with bitter destru61:ion :
I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them,
With the poison of serpents of the dust.
The sword without,
And terror within.
Shall destroy both the young man and the virgin.
The suckling also with the man of gray hairs.
I said, I would scatter them into corners,
I would make the remembrance of them to cease
from among men:
Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy,
Lest their adversaries should behave themselves
stran.gely,
And lest they should say, Our hand is high,
And the Lord hath not done all this.
For they are a nation void of counsel.
Neither is there any understanding in them.
O that they were wise, that they understood this,
That they would consider their latter end !
How should one chase a thousand,
And two put ten thousand to flight.
Except their Rock had sold them,
And the Lord had shut them up.?
For their rock is not as our Rock,
Even our enemies themselves being judges.
For their vine is of the vine of Sodom,
And of the fields of Gomorrah :
[ 625 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxxii
Their grapes are grapes of gall,
Their clusters are bitter:
Their wine is the poison ot dragons,
And the cruel venom of asps.
Is not this laid up in store with me,
And sealed up among my treasures?
To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence;
Their foot shall slide in due time:
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things that shall come upon them make
haste.
For the Lord shall judge his people,
And repent himself for his servants,
When he seeth that their power is gone,
And there is none shut up, or left.
And he shall say, Where are their gods,
Their rock in whom they trusted.
Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices,
And drank the wine of their drink offerings ?
Let them rise up and help you,
And be your prote6fion.
See now that I, even I, am he,
And there is no god with me:
I kill, and I make alive;
I wound, and I heal:
Neither is there any that can deliver out of my
hand.
[ G26 ]
I
XXXII] DEUTERONOMY
For I lift up my hand to heaven,
And say, I live for ever.
If I whet my glittering sword.
And mine hand take hold on judgment;
I will render vengeance to mine enemies,
And will reward them that hate me.
I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,
And my sword shall devour flesh;
And that with the blood of the slain and of the
captives,
From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people:
For he will avenge the blood of his servants.
And will render vengeance to his adversaries.
And will be merciful unto his land, and to his
people.
And Moses came and spake all the words of this
song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the
son of Nun. And Moses made an end of speaking all
these words to all Israel: and he said unto them, Set
your hearts unto all the words which I testify among
you this day, which ye shall command your children
to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is
not a vain thing for you ; because it is your life : and
through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the
land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. And the
[ 627 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxxiii
Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, Get
thee up into this mountain Abarim,unto mount Nebo,
which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jeri-
cho ; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give un-
to the children of Israel for a possession: and die in the
mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto
thy people ; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor,
and was gathered unto his people : because ye tres-
passed against me among the children of Israel at the
waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin ;
because ye san6f ified me not in the midst of the chil-
dren of Israel. Yet thou shalt see the land before thee ;
but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give
the children of Israel.
And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man
of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
And he said,
The Lord came from Sinai,
And rose up from Seir unto them ;
He shined forth from mount Paran,
And he came with ten thousands of saints:
From his right hand went a fiery law for them.
Yea, he loved the people ;
All his saints are in thy hand :
And they sat down at thy feet;
Every one shall receive of thy words.
[ 6ii8 ]
XXXIII] DEUTERONOMY
Moses commanded us a law,
Even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
And he was king in Jeshurun,
When the heads of the people
And the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
Let Reuben live, and not die ;
And let not his men be few.
And this is the blessing of Judah : and he said.
Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah,
And bring him unto his people:
Let his hands be sufficient for him ;
And be thou an help to him from his enemies.
And of Levi he said.
Let thyThummim and thy Urim be with thy holy
one.
Whom thou didst prove at Massah,
And with whom thou didst strive at the waters of
Meribah ;
Who said unto his father and to his mother. I have
not seen him ;
Neither did he acknowledge his brethren.
Nor knew his own children :
For they have observed thy word.
And kept thy covenant.
They shall teach Jacob thy judgments,
[ 629 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxxiii
And Israel thy law:
They shaU put incense before thee,
And whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
Bless, Lord, his substance.
And accept the work of his hands :
Smite through the loins of them that rise against
him,
And of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
And of Benjamin he said.
The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by
him;
And the Lord shall cover him all the day long.
And he shall dwell between his shoulders.
And of Joseph he said,
Blessed of the Lord be his land.
For the precious things of heaven, for the dew.
And for the deep that coucheth beneath.
And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun ,
And for the precious things put forth by tlie moon,
And for the chief things of the ancient mountains.
And for the precious things of the lasting hills.
And for the precious things of the earth and ful-
ness thereof.
And for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush :
Let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph,
t 6ao ]
XXXIII] DEUTERONOMY
And upon the top of tlie head of him that was sepa-
rated from his brethren.
His glory is like the firstling of his bullock,
And his horns are like the horns of unicorns:
With them he shall push the people together to
the ends of the earth :
And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
And they are the thousands of Manasseh.
And of Zebulun he said,
Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out;
And, Issachar, in thy tents.
They shall call the people unto the mountain;
There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness :
For they shall suck of the abundance of the seas,
And of treasures hid in the sand.
And of Gad he said,
Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad:
He dwelleth as a lion,
And teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
And he provided the first part for himself.
Because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was
he seated;
And he came with the heads of the people.
He executed the justice of the Lord,
And his judgments with Israel.
[ 631 ]
DEUTERONOMY xxxiii]
And of Dan he said,
Dan is a lion's whelp:
He shall leap from Bashan.
And of Naphtali he said,
O Naphtali, satisfied with favour.
And full with the blessing of the Lord :
Possess thou the west and the south.
And of Asher he said.
Let Asher be blessed with children ;
Let him be acceptable to his brethren,
And let him dip his foot in oil.
Thy shoes shall be iron and brass;
And as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun,
Who rideth upon the heaven in thy help,
And in his excellency on the sky.
The eternal God is thy refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms:
And he shall thrust out the enemy from before
thee;
And shall say. Destroy them.
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone:
The fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn
and wine ;
[ 632 ]
• p
< a
1^ /.
1..^
XXXIV] DEUTERONOMY
Also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel:
Who is like unto thee,0 people saved by the Lord,
The shield of thy help,
And who is the sword of thy excellency !
And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee;
And thou shalt tread upon their high places.
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the
mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over
against Jericho. And the Lord shewed 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 utmost sea, and the south, and the plain of
the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which
I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob,
saying,! will give it unto thy seed : I have caused thee
to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over
thither.
So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the
land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And
he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over
against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepul-
chre unto this day.
And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old
[ 633 ]
DEUTERONOMY [xxxiv
when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural
force abated.
' And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the
plains of Moab thirty days : so the days of weeping
and mourning for Moses were ended.
And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit
of wisdom ; for Moses had laid his hands upon him :
and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and
did as the I^rd commanded Moses. ,,
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like
unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all
the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him
to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his
servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty
hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed
in the sight of all Israel. v
[ f>'54 ]
THE BOOK OF
JOSHUA
NOW after the death of Moses the servant of the
Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto
Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Mo-
ses 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.
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon,
that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From
the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great
river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites,
and unto the great sea toward the going down of the
sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be
able to stand before thee all the days of thy life : as I
was with Moses, so I will be with thee : I will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good cour-
age : for unto this people shalt thou divide for an in-
heritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to
give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all the
law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn
not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou
mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book
of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth ; but thou
[ 635 ]
JOSHUA [I
shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou may-
est observe to do according to all that is written there-
in : for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and
then thou shalt have good success. Have not I com-
manded thee ? Be strong and of a good courage ; be
not afraid, neither be thou dismayed : for the Lord thy
God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people,
saying. Pass through the host, and command the peo-
ple, saying, Prepare you vi6luals; for within three
days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to pos-
sess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you
to possess it.
And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to
half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying. Re-
member the word which Moses the servant of the
Lord commanded you, saying. The Lord your God
hath given you rest, and hath given you this land . Your
wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain
in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan ;
but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the
mighty men of valour, and help them ; until the Lord
have given your brethren rest, as he liath given you,
and they also have possessed the land which the IjDrd
your God giveth them : then ye shall return unto the
land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the
[ 6^6 ]
It] JOSHUA
Lord's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward
the sunrising.
And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou
commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou
sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened un-
to Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee:
only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with
Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy
commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words
in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to
death : only be strong and of a good courage.
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two
men to spy secretly, saying. Go view the land, even
Jericho. And they w^ent, and came into an harlot's
house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was
told the king of Jericho, saying. Behold, there came
men in hither to night of the children of Israel to
search out the country. 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 country. And the woman
took the tW'O men, and hid them, and said thus. There
came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were :
and it cam^e to pass about the time of shutting of the
gate , when it was dark , that the men went out : whither
the men w^ent I wot not: pursue after them quickly;
[ 637 ]
JOSHUA [II
for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought them
up to the roof of the house, 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 Jor-
dan 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 un-
to them upon the roof; and she said unto the men, I
know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that
your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabit-
ants of the land faint because of you. For we have
heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea
for you, when ye came out of Egypt ; and what 3^e did
unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the
other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly
destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things,
our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more
courage in any man, because of you : for the Lord your
God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
Now therefore , I pray you , swear unto me by the Lord ,
since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also
shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a
true token : and that ye will save alive my father, and
my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all
that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And
the men answered her. Our life for yours, if ye utter
[ 638 ]
no JOSHUA
not tliis our business. And it shall be, when the Lord
hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and
truly with thee. Then she let them down by a eord
through the window : for her house was upon the town
wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto
them, Get you to til e mountain, lest the pursuers meet
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 blame-
less of this thine oath which thou hast made us 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 bring thy father,
and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's
household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that who-
soever 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. And if thou utter this our business, then we
will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to
swear. And she said. According unto 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 days, until the pursuers were returned : and the
[ 639 ]
JOSHUA [III
pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but
found them not.
So the two men returned, and descended from the
mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the
son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them :
and they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord hath de-
livered into our hands all the land ; for even all the
inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.
And Joshua rose early in the morning ; and they re-
moved from Shittim , and came to Jordan , he and all the
children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed
over. And it came to pass after three days, that the
officers went through the host; and they commanded
the people, saying. When ye see the ark of the cove-
nant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites
bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and
go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you
and it, about two thousand cubits by measure : come
not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which
ye must go : for ye have not passed this way hereto-
fore. And Joshua said unto the people, San6f ify your-
selves : for to morrow the Lord 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.
[ 640 ]
i
Ill] JOSHUA
And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I be-
gin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they
may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with
thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear
the ark of the covenant, saying. When ye are come to
the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still
in Jordan.
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come
hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God. And
Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God
is among you, and that he will without fail drive out
from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and
the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites,
and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark
of the covenant ol" the Lord of all the earth passeth
over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you
twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every
tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the
soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the
Lord, the Lord of all rhe earth, shall rest in the wa-
ters of Jordan, that tiie waters of Jordan shall be cut
off from the waters that come down from above ; and
they sliall stand upon an heap.
And it came to pass, when the people removed from
their tents, lo pass over Jordan , and the priests bearing
the ark of the covenant before the people ; and as they
I [ 641 ] X
JOSHUA [IV
that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet
of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim
of the water, ( for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all
the time of harvest, ) that the waters which came down
from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far
from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan : and those
that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the
salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed
over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare
the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry
ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites
passed over on dry ground, until all the people were
passed clean over Jordan.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean
passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua,
saying, Take you 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,
andye shall carry them over with you, and leave them,
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 the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and
take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoul-
[ 642 ]
FV] JOSHUA
der, 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 their fathers in time to
come, saying. What mean ye by these stones ? then ye
shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut
off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord ; 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 for ever. And the children of Israel did
so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones
out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Jo-
shua, according to the number of the tribes of the chil-
dren of Israel, and carried them over with them un-
to the place where they lodged, and laid them down
there. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of
Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which
bare the ark of the covenant stood : and they are there
unto this day.
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst
of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord
commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, accord-
ing to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the peo-
ple hasted and passed over. And it came to pass, when
all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of
the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence
of the people. And the children of Reuben , and the chil-
[ 643 ]
JOSHUA [IV
dren of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed
over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses
spake unto them : about forty thousand prepared for
war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the
plains of Jericho.
On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight
of all Israel ; and they feared him, as they feared Mo-
ses, all the days of his life. And the Lord spake un-
to Joshua, saying, Command the priests that bear the
ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jor-
dan. Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying.
Come ye up out of Jordan. And it came to pass, when
the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the
Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the
soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry
land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their
place, and fiowedt)ver all his banks, as they did before.
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth
day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in
the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones,
which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gil-
gal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying.
When your children shall ask their fathers in time to
come, saying. What mean these stones ? then ye shall
let your children know, saying, Israel came over this
Jordan on dry land. For the Lord your God dried up
[ 644 ]
V] JOSHUA
the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were
passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea,
which he dried up from before us, until we were gone
over: that all the people of the earth might know the
hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear
the Lord your God for ever.
And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amo-
rites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and
all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea,
heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan
from before the children of Israel , until we were passed
over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit
in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee
sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Is-
rael the second time. And Joshua made him sharp
knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the
hill of the foreskins. And this is the cause why Joshua
did circumcise : All the people that came out of Egypt,
that were males, even all the men of war, died in the
wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
Now all the people that came out were circumcised :
but all the people that were born in the wilderness by
the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they
had not circumcised. For the children of Israel walked
forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that
[ 645 ]
JOSHUA [V
were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were con-
sumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord:
unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew
them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fa-
thers that he would give us, a land that floweth with
milk and honey. And their children, whom he raised
up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they
were uncircumcisedjbecause they had not circumcised
them by the way. And it came to pass, when they had
done circumcising all the people, that they abode in
their places in the camp, till they were whole. And the
Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the
reproach of Egypt fromoff you. Wherefore the name
of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal,
and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the
month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did
eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after
the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in
the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the mor-
row after they had eaten of the old corn of the land ;
neither had the children of Israel manna any more ;
but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that
year, ; '
b And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho,
thathe lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there
[ 6-iG J
VI] JOSHUA
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 adversaries? And he
said. Nay ; but as captain of the host of the Lord 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 the Lord's
host said unto Joshua, Loose 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 the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given in-
to thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the
mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city,
all ye men of w^ar, and go round about the city once.
Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall
bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns:
and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven
times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
And it shall come to pass, 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 ascend up every man straight before
him.
[ 647 ]
JOSHUA [VI
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 the Lord. And he said unto the peo-
ple, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is
armed pass on before the ark of the Lord.
And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto
the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven
trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord,
and blew with the trumpets : and the ark of the cove-
nant of the Lord followed them.
And the armed men went before the priests that
blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after
the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the
trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people,
saying. Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with
your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your
mouth, until the day I bid you shout ; then shall ye
shout. So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, go-
ing 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 the Lord. And seven priests
bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark
of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the
trumpets : and the armed men went before them ; but
[ 648 ]
VI] JOSHUA
the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests
going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the se-
cond day they compassed the city once, and returned
into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to
pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the
dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the
same manner seven times : only on that day they com-
passed 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 the Lord hath
given you the city. And the city shall be accursed,
even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Ra-
hab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her
in the house, because she hid the messengers that
we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from
the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed,
when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the
camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the sil-
ver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are con-
secrated unto the Lord : they shall come into the trea-
sury of the Lord. So the people shouted when the
priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass,
when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and
the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall
fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city,
every man straight before him , and they took the city.
I [ 649 ] xs:
i
JOSHUA [VII
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city,
both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and
sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. But Jo-
shua had said unto the two men that had spied out the
country, 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 men that were spies went
in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her
mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and
they brought out all her kindred, and left them with-
out the camp of Israel. And they burnt the city 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 the Lord. And Joshua
saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's house-
hold, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel
even unto this day ; because she hid the messengers,
which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying.
Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and
buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation
thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall
he setup the gates of it. So the Lord was with Joshua;
and his fame was noised throughout all the country.
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in
the accursed thing : for Achan , the son of Carmi , the son
[ 650 ]
mi JOSHUA
of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took
of the accursed thing : and the anger of the Ix)rd was
kindled against the children of Israel. 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 view the country. And the men went up
and viewed 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 ; and
make not all the people to labour 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 : for they chased them from before the gate
even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going
down : wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and
became as water.
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth up-
on his face before the ark of the Lord until the even-
tide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their
heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore
hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to de-
liver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us ?
would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the
other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Is-
rael turneth their backs before their enemies ! For the
[ 651 ]
JOSHUA [VII
Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall
hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our
name from the earth : and what wilt thou do unto thy
great name ?
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; where-
fore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned,
and they have also transgressed my covenant which
I commanded them: for they have even taken of the
accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled
also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand be-
fore their enemies, but turned their backs before their
enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I
be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed
from among you. Up, san6lify the people, and say,
San6lify yourselves against to morrow : for thus saith
the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in
the midst of thee, O Israel : thou canst not stand before
thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing
from among you. In the morning therefore ye shall be
brought according to your tribes : and it shall be, that
the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according
to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord
shall take shall come by households ; and tlie house-
hold which the Lord shall take shall come man by
man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the
[ 655^ ]
VII] JOSHUA
accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that
he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of
the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
Sojoshua rose up early in the morning, and brought
Israel by their tribes ; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
and he brought the family of Judah ; and he took the
family of the Zarhites : and he brought the family of
the Zarhites man by man ; and Zabdi was taken : and
he brought 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 un-
to Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord
Godof 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. Indeed I have
sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and
thus have I done : when I saw among the spoils a good-
ly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of
silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight,
then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold,
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 out of the midst of the
tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the
[ 65S ]
JOSHUA [VIII
children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord.
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the
son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, 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 unto the valley
of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled
us ? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel
stoned him with stones, and burned them with iire, af-7
ter they had stoned them with stones. And they raised
over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the
Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Where-
fore the name of that place was called, The valley of
Achor, untothis day.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be
thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee,
and arise, go up to Ai : see, I have given into thy hand
the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his
land : and thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou
didst unto Jericho and her king : only the spoil there-
of, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto
yourselves : lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
'- So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go
up against Ai : and Joshua chose out thirty thousand
mighty men of valour, and sent them away by niglit.
And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye sliall
[ (i54 J
VIII] JOSHUA
lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go
not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: and I,
and all the people that are with me, will approach unto
the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come
out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before
them, (for they will come out after us) till we have
drawn them from the city ; for they will say , They flee
before us, as at the first : therefore we will flee before
them. Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize
upon the city : for the Lord your God will deliver it
into your hand. And it shall be, when ye have taken
the city , that ye shall set the city on fire : according to
the commandment of the Lord shall ye do. See, I have
commanded you.
Joshua therefore sent them forth : and they went
to lie in ambush, 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 numbered the people, and went up, he
and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. And
all the people, even the people 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 them and Ai. And he took about
five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush be-
tween Beth-el and Ai,on the west side of the city. And
[ 655 ]
JOSHUA [VIII
when they had set the people, even all the host that
was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on
the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the
midst of the valley.
And it came to pass, v/h en the king of Ai saw it, that
they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city
went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people,
at a time appointed, before the plain ; but he wist not
that there were liers in 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 wilder-
ness. And all the people that were in Ai 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 left the cit}^ open, and pursued
after Israel. And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch
out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai ; for I will
give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the
spear that he had 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 they en-
tered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the
city on fire. And when the men of Ai looked beliind
them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city as-
cended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee
[ 656 ]
VIII] JOSHUA
this way or that way: and the people that fled to the
wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. And when
Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken
the city, and that tlie smoke of the city ascended, then
they turned again, and slew the men of Ai. And the
other issued 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. And it came to
pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the
inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where-
in they chased them, and when they were all fallen
on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed,
that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it
with the edge of the sword. And so it was, that all that
fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve
thousand, even all the menof Ai. For Joshua drew not
his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear,
until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of
Ai. Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took
for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word
of the Lord which he commanded Joshua. And Joshua
burnt Ai,and made it an heap for ever, even a desola-
tion unto this day. And the king of Ai he hanged on a
tree until eventide : and as soon as the sun was down.
[ 657 ]
JOSHUA [VIII
Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase
down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the
gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of
stones, that remaineth unto this day. [^
Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Is-
rael in mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord
commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the
book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over
which no man hath lift up any iron : and they offered
thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed
peace offerings.
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the
law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the
children of Israel. And all Israel, and their elders, and
officers, and their judges , stood on this side the ark and
on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare
the ark of the covenant of the Lord , as well the stran-
ger, as he that was born among them ; half of them
over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over
against mount Ebal ; as Moses the servant of the Lord
had commanded before, that they should bless the
people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words
of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all
that is written in the book of the law. Tliere was not
a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua
read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the
L 658 ]
IX] JOSHUA
women, and tlie little ones, and the strangers that
were conversant among them.
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were
on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and
iji all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon,
the Hittite,and the Amorite,the Canaanite,the Periz-
zite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; that
they gathered themselves together, to fight with Jo-
shua and with Israel, with one accord.
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what
Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, they did work
wilily,and went and made as if they had been ambas-
sadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine
bottles, 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
mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at
Gilgal,and said unto him, and to the men of Israel , We
be come from a far country : now therefore make ye a
league with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hi-
vites, Peradventureye dwell among us ; and how shall
we make a league with you ? And they said unto Jo-
shua, 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 because of the name of the Tx>rd thy God :
[ 659 ]
JOSHUA [IX
for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he
did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of
the Amorites,that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king
of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at
Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabit-
ants of our country spake to us, saying, Take vi6f uals
with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and
say unto them, We are your servants : therefore now
make ye a league with us. This our bread we took
hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we
came forth to go unto you ; but now, behold, it is dry,
and it is mouldy : and these bottles of wine, which we
filled, were new ; and, behold, they be rent: and these
our garments and our shoes are become old by reason
of the very long journey. And the men took of their
vi6f uals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the
Lord. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a
league with them, to let them live : and the princes of
the congregation sware unto them.
And it came to pass at the end of three days after
they had made a league with them, that they heard
that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt
among them. And the children of Israel journeyed,
and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their
cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and
Kirjath-jearim. And the children of Israel smote them
[ iHH) ]
IX] JOSHUA
not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn
unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the con-
gregation murmured against the princes. But all the
princes said unto all the congregation , We have sworn
unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore
we may not touch them. This we will do to them ; we
will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because
of the oath which we sware unto them. And the princes
said unto them, Let them live ; but let them be hewers
of wood and drawers of water unto all the congrega-
tion ; as the princes had promised 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 none
of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of
wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was
certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God
commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land ,
and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from be-
fore you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives
because of you, and have done this thing. And now,
behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and
right unto thee to do unto us, do. And so did he unto
them, and delivered them out of the hand of the chil-
[ 661 ]
JOSHUA [X
dren 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 the
Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should
choose.
Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedec king of Je-
rusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had
utterly destroyed it ; as he had done to Jericho and her
king, so he had done to Ai and her king ; and how the
inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and
were 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 there-
of were mighty. Wherefore Adoni-zedec king of Je-
rusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto
Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of La-
chish,and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, Come up
unto me, and help me, that we may 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 Jerusalem, theking of Hebron, the kingof Jar-
muth , the king of Lachish , the king of Eglon , gathered
themselves together, and went up, they and all their
hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war
against it.
And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the
[ 662 ]
t1 JOSHUA
camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy
servants ; come up to us quickly , and save us, and help
us : for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the
mountains are gathered together against us. So Jo-
shua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of
war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for
I have delivered them into thine hand ; there shall
not a man of them stand before thee. Joshua therefore
came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal
all night. And the Lord discomfited them before Is-
rael, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,
and chased them along the way that goeth up toBeth-
horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makke-
dah. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Is-
rael, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that
the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon
them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more
which died with hailstones than they whom the chil-
dren of Israel slew with the sword.
Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the
Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of
Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;
And thou. Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
[ 663 ]
JOSHUA [X
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed.
Until the people had avenged themselves upon
their enemies.
Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun
stood still 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 the Lord hearkened un-
to the voice of a man : for the Lord fought for Israel
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto
the camp to Gilgal. But these five kings fled, and hid
themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was told Jo-
shua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at
Makkedah. And Joshua said. Roll great stones upon
the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep
them : and stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies,
and smite the hindmost of them ; suffer them not to
enter into their cities : for the Lord 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 very great slaughter, till
they were consumed, that the rest which remained of
them entered into fenced cities. And 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,
[ «G4 J
X] JOSHUA
and bring out tliose five kings un.to me out of the cave.
And the}' 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 La-
chish, and the king of Eglon. And it came to pass,
when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that
Joshua called for all tlie men of Israel, and said unto
the captains 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 Joshua said unto them. Fear
not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage :
for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against
whom ye fight. And afterward Joshua smote them,
and slew them, 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 oflfthe trees , and cast them into the cave wherein
they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's
mouth, which remain until this very day.
And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it
with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he
utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were
therein ; he let none remain : and he did to the king
of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho. Then
[ 665 ]
JOSHUA [X
Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with
him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah: and the
Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the
hand of Israel ; and he smote it with the edge of the
sword, and all the souls that were therein ; he let none
remain in it ; but did unto the king thereof as he did
unto the king of Jericho.
And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel
with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and
fought against it: and the Lord delivered Lachish into
the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day,
and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the
souls that were therein, according to all that he had
done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up
to help Lachish ; and Joshua smote him and his peo-
ple, until he had left him none remaining.
'^- And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and
all Israel with him ; and they encamped against it, and
fought against it: and they took it on that day, and
smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls
that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, ac-
cording to all that he had done to Lachish.
o('And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel
with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it:
and they took it, and smote it with the edge of the
sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof,
[ 666 ]
m JOSHUA
and all the souls that were therein ; he left none re-
maining, according to all that he had done to Eglon;
but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were
therein.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to De-
bir; and fought against it: and he took it, and the king
thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them
with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all
the souls that were therein ; he left none remaining: as
he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the
king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her
king.
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of
the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all
their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly de-
stroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel
commanded. And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-
barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen,
even unto Gibeon. And all these kings and their land
did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of
Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all
Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had
heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Ma-
don, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of
Achshaph, and to the kings that were on the north of
[ 667 ]
JOSHUA [xr
the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth,
and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the
west, and to the Canaaniteon the east and on the west,
and to the Amorite, and the Hittite,and the Perizzite,
and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite
under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. And they went
out, they and all their hosts with them, much people,
even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multi-
tude, with horses and chariots very many. And when
all these kings were met together, they came and
pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight
against Israel.
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid be-
cause of them: for to morrow about this time will I de-
liver them up all slain before Israel : thou shalt hough
their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. So Jo-
shua came, and all the people of war with him, against
them by the waters of Merom suddenly ; and they fell
upon them. And the Lord delivered them into the hand
of Israel , who smote them , and chased them unto great
Zidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim, and unto the val-
ley of Mizpeh eastward ; and they smote them, until
they left them none remaining. And Joshua did unto
them as the Lord bade him : he houghed their horses,
and burnt their chariots with fire.
And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Ha-
[ 668 J
xn JOSHUA
zor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for
Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.
And they smote all the souls that were therein with
the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there
was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with
fire. And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings
of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the
edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as
Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. But as for
the cities that stood still in their strength , Israel burned
none of them, save Hazor only ; that did Joshua burn.
And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the chil-
dren of Israel took for a prey unto themselves ; but
every man they smote with the edge of the sword,
until they had destroyed them, neither left they any
to breathe.
As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, so did
Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left
nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Mo-
ses. So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the
south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the val-
ley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the
valley of the same ; even from the mount Halak, that
goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of
Lebanon under mount Hermon : and all their kings
he took, and smote them, and slewthem. Joshua made
[ 669 ]
JOSHUA ^ [XII
war a long time with all those kings. There was not
a city that made peace with the children of Israel,
save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon : all other
they took in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden
their hearts, that they should come against Israel in
battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that
they might have no favour, but that he might destroy
them, as the Lord commanded Moses.
And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Ana-
kims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir,
from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and
from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed
them utterly with their cities. There was none of the
Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only
in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained. So
Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the
Lord said unto Moses ; and Joshua gave it for an in-
heritance unto Israel according to their divisions by
their tribes. And the land rested from war.
■' Now these are the kings of the land, which the chil-
dren of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the
other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from
the river Arnon untomount Hermon, and all the plain
on the east: Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt
in Heshbon,and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the
bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the
[ 670 ]
iciirji JOSHUA
river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jab-
bok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
and from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east,
and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the
east, the way to Beth-jeshimoth ; and from the south,
under Ashdoth-pisgah : and the coast of Og king of
Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that
dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, and reigned in mount
Hermon , and in Salcah , and in all Bashan , unto the bor-
der of the Geshurites, and theMaachathites, and half
Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. Them
did Moses the servant of the Lord and the children of
Israel smite : and Moses the servant of the Lord gave
it for a possession unto the Reubenites , and theGadites ,
and the half tribe of Manasseh.
And these are the kings of the country which Joshua
and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on
the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even
unto the mount Halak , that goeth up to Seir ; which Jo-
shua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession ac-
cording to their divisions ; in the mountains, and in the
valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the
wilderness, and in the south country ; the Hittites, the
Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hi-
vites, and the Jebusites: the king of Jericho, one ; the
king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el, one; the king of
[ 671 ]
JOSHUA [XIII
Jerusalem, one ; the king of I^ebron,one ; the king of
Jarmuth, one ; the king of Lachish, one ; the king of
Eglon , one ; the kingof Gezer^one ; the king of Debir,
one ; the king of Geder , one ; the king of Hormah j one ;
the king of Arad, one; the king of Libnah, one; the king
ofAdullam,one ;the kingof Makkedah,one;theking
of Beth-el, one; the king of Tappuah, one ; the king
of Hepher, one ; the king of Aphek, one ; the king of
Lasharon, one ; the king of Madon, one ; the king of
Hazor, one; the king of Shimron-meron, one; the
king of Achshaph, one ; the king of Taanach,one; the
king of Megiddo, one ; the king of Kedesh, one ; the
king of Jokneam of Carmel, one ; the king of Dor in
the coast of Dor, one ; the king of the nations of Gil-
gal, one ; the king of Tirzah, one : all the kings thirty
and one.
Now Joshua was old and stricken in years ; and the
Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years,
and there remaineth yet very much land to be pos-
sessed. This is the land that yet remaineth: all the bor-
ders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri, from Sihor,
which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ek-
ron northward, which is counted totheCanaanite:five
lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ash-
dothites , the Eshkalonites , the Gittites , and tlie Ekron-
ites; alsothe Avites: from the south, all the land of the
[ 67^2 ]
XIII] JOSHUA
Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians,
unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites: and the
land of tlie Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sun-
rising, from Baal-gad under mount Hermon unto the
entering into Hamath. All the inhabitants of the hill
country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim, and all
the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the
children of Israel : only divide thou it by lot unto the
Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded
thee. Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance
unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
with whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have re-
ceived their inheritance, wiiich Moses gave them, be-
yond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of
the Lord gave them ; from Aroer, that is upon the bank
of the river Anion, and the city that is in the midst
of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon ;
and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which
reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children
of Ammon; and Gilead, and the border of the Ge-
shurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon,
and all Bashan unto Salcah ; all the kingdom of Og
in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei.
who remained of the remnant of the giants : for these
did Moses smite, and cast them out. Nevertheless the
children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor
I [ 673 ] Y
JOSHUA [XIII
the Maachathites : but the Geshurites and the Maach-
athites dwell among the Israelites until this day. Only
unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance ; the
sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are
their inheritance, as he said unto them.
And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of
Reuben inheritance according to their families. And
their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the
river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the
river, and all the plain by Medeba; Heshbon, and all
her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth-
baal,andBeth-baal-meon,andJahaza,andKedemoth,
and Mephaath, and Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Za-
reth-shahar in the mountof the valley, and Beth-peor,
and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, and all the
cities of the plain , and all the kingdom of Sihon king of
the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Mo-
ses smote with the princes of Midian , Evi , and Rekem ,
and Zur, and Hur,and Reba, which were dukes of Si-
hon, dwelling in the country. Balaam also the son of
Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay
with the sword among them that were slain by them.
And the border of the children of Reuben was Jor-
dan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance
of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities
and the villages thereof.
[ 674, ]
XIII] JOSHUA
And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gadj
even unto the children of Gad according to their fa-
milies. And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of
Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon,
unto Aroer that is before Kabbah ; and from Hesh-
bon unto Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim; and from
Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; and in the val-=
ley, Beth-aram, and Beth-nimrah, and Succoth, and
Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of
Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge
of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan east-
ward. This is the inheritance of the children of Gad
after their families, the cities, and their villages.
And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of
Manasseh : and this was the possession of the half tribe
of the children of Manasseh by their families. And their
coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan,all the kingdom
of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which
are in Bashan, threescore cities : and half Gilead, and
Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in
Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir
the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the chil-
dren of Machir by their families.
These are the countries which Moses did distribute
for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other
side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward. But unto the tribe
[ 675 ]
JOSHUA [XIV
of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance : the Lord God
of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
And these are the countries which the children of
Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar
the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads
of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel,
distributed for inheritance to them. By lot was their in-
heritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Mo-
ses,for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. For Mo-
ses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half
tribe on the other side Jordan : but unto the Levites
he gave none inheritance among them. For the chil-
dren of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephra-
im: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the
land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their
cattle and for their substance. As the Lord command-
ed Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they di-
vided the land.
Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gil-
gal : and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said
unto him. Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said
unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee
in Kadesh-barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses
the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea
to espy out the land ; and I brought him word again as
it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that
[ 676 ]
XIV] JOSHUA
went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but
I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses sware
on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet
have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy chil-
dren's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the
Lord my God. And now, behold, the Lord hath kept
me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even
since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the
children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and
now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that
Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is
my strength now, for war, both to go out,and to come
in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the
Lord spake in that day ; for thou heardest in that day
how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were
great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me,
then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord
said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the
son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron
therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that
he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. And the
name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba ; which Arba
was a great man among the Anakims. And the land
had rest from war.
[ 677 ]
JOSHUA [XV
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of
Judah by their families ; even to the border of Edom
the w^ilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost
part of the south coast. And their south border was
from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that look-
eth southward: and it went out to the south side to
Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and as-
cended up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and
passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and
fetched a compass to Karkaa : from thence it passed
toward Azmon,and went out unto the river of Egypt ;
and the goings out of that coast were at the sea : this
shall be your south coast. And the east border was the
salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border
in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the
uttermost part of Jordan : and the border went up to
Beth-hogla, and passed along by the north of Betli-
arabah ; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan
the son of Reuben: and the border went up toward
Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward,
looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to
Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and
the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh,
and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel : and the
border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom
unto the south side of the Jebusite ; the same is Jeru-
[ 6-S ]
XV] JOSHUA
salem : and the border went up to the top of the moun-
tain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward,
which is at the end of the valley of the giants north-
ward: and the border was drawn from the top of the
hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and
went out to the cities of mount Ephron ; and the border
was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim : and the
border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount
Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim,
which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down
to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah: and the
border went out unto the side of Ek ron northward : and
the border was drawn to Shicron,and passed along to
mount Baalah, and w^ent out unto Jabneel ; and the go-
ings out of the border were at the sea. And the west
border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof.
This is the coast of the children of Judah round about
according to their families.
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a
part among the children of Judah, according to the
commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of
Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. And
Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai,
and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. And
he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and
the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.
[ 679 ]
JOSHUA [XV
And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher,
and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter
to wife. 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, as she came unto him, that
she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she
lighted off her ass ; and Caleb said unto her, What
wouldest thou? Who answered, Give me a blessing;
for thou hast given me a south land ; give me also
springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs,
and the nether springs.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
Judah according to their families. And the uttermost
cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the
coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder,
and Jagur,and Kinah,and Dimonah,and Adadah,and
Kedesh,and Hazor,and Ithnan,Ziph,and Telem,and
Bealoth,and Hazor, Hadattah,and Kerioth, and Hez-
ron, which is Hazor, Amam, and Shema, and Mola-
dah, and Hazar-gaddah,and Heshmon,and Beth-pa-
let, and Hazar-shual,and Beer-sheba,and Bizjothjah,
Baalah, and lim, and Azem, and Eltolad, and Chesil,
and Hormah, and Ziklag,and Madmannah, and San-
sannah, and Lebaoth,and Shilhim,and Ain, and Rim-
mon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their
villages.
[ 680 ]
XV] JOSHUA
And in the val]ey,Eshtaol,andZoreah,and Ashnah,
and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappiiah, and Enam,
Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, and Sha-
raim,and Adithaini,and Gederah, and Gederothaim ;
fourteen cities with their villages: Zenan,and Hada-
shah, and Migdal-gad, and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and
Joktheel,Lachish, and Bozkath,and Eglon, and Cab-
bon,and Lahmam, and Kithlish, and Gederoth,Beth-
dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah ; sixteen cities
with their villages: Libnah,and Ether, and Ashan, and
Jiphtah,ana Ashnah, and Nezib,and Keilah,and Ach-
zib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:
Ekron, with her towns and her villages : from Ekron
even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod,with their
villages: Ashdod with her towns and her villages,
Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river
of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof.
And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and So-
coh, and Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,
andAnab, andEshtemoh,and Anim, and Goshen, and
Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:
Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, and Janum,and Beth-
tappuah, and Aphekah, and Humtah, and Kirjath-
arba, which is Hebron, and Zior ; nine cities with their
villages: Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, and
Jezreel, and Jokdeam,and Zanoah, Cain, Gibeah, and
I [ 681 ] y2
JOSHUA [XVI
Timnah; ten cities with their villages: Halhul, Beth--
zur, and Gedor, and Maarath, and Beth-anoth. and
Eltekon; six cities with their villages: Kirjath-baal,
which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with
their villages.
In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Seca-
cah, and Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi ;
six cities with their villages.
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the
Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusa-
lem unto this day.
And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jor-
dan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east,
to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho through-
out mount Beth-el, and goeth out from Beth-^el to Luz,
and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ata-
roth, and goeth down westward to the coast of Japh-
leti, unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether, and to
Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea. So
the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took
their inheritance.
And the border of the children of Ephraim accord-
ing to their families was thus : even the border of their
inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar, unto
Beth-horon the upper; and the border went out to-
[ ()8;^ ]
XVII] JOSHUA
ward the sea to Michmethah on the north side ; and the
border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and
passed by it on the east to Janohah ; and it went down
from Janohah to Ataroth,and to Naarath,and came to
Jericho, and went out at Jordan. The border went out
from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah ; and
the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the in-
heritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by
their families. And the separate cities for the children
of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the chil-
dren of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in
Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephra-
imites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh ; for
he was the firstborn of Joseph ; to wit, for Machir the
firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Giiead : because
he was a man of war, therefore he had Giiead and Ba-
shan. There was also a lot for the rest of the children
of Manasseh by their families ; for the children of Abi-
ezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the chil-
dren 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 by their families.
But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of
[ 683 ]
JOSHUA [xvii
Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had
no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of
his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah,
and Tirzah. And they came near before Eleazar the
priest J and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before
the princes, saying. The Lord commanded Moses to
give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore
according to the commandment of the Lord he gave
them an inheritance among the brethren of their fa-
ther. And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside
the land of Gilead and Bashan ,which were on the other
side Jordan ; because the daughters of Manasseh had
an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manas-
seh's sons had the land of Gilead.
And the coast of Manasseh vv^as from Asher to
Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the bor-
der went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants
of En-tappuah. Now Manasseh had the land of Tap-
puah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh be-
longed to the children of Ephraim ; and the coast de-
scended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river :
these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Ma-
nasseh : the coast of Manasseh also was on the north
side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the
sea: southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it
was Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they
[ 684 ]
XVII] JOSHUA
met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar
on the east. And Manasseh had in Issachar and in
Asher Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her
towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and
the inhabitants of En-dor and her towns, and the in-
habitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabit-
ants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the
inhabitants of those cities ; but the Canaanites would
dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the chil-
dren of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the
Canaanites to tribute ; but 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
portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, foras-
much as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto ? And Jo-
shua answered them. If thou be a great people, then
get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for
thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the
giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee. And
the children of Joseph said, The hill 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 of
Beth-shean and her towns, and they who are of the
valley of Jezreel. And Joshua spake unto the house
of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying,
[ 685 ]
JOSHUA [XVIII
Thou art a great people, and hast great power : thou
shalt not have one lot only: but the mountain shall be
thine ; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and
the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive
out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots,
and though they be strong.
And the whole congregation of the children of Is-
rael assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the ta-
bernacle of the congregation there. And the land was
subdued before them. And there remained amonof- the
children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet re-
ceived their inheritance. And Joshua said unto the chil-
dren of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess
the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath
given you.f* Give out from among you three men for
each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise,
and go through the land, and describe it according to
the inheritance of them : and they shall come again to
me. And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah
shall abide in their coast on the soutli, and the house
of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north. Ye
shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and
bring the description hither to me, that I may cast
lots for you here before the Lord our God. But the Le-
vites have no part among you ; for the pricsth.ood of
the Lord is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben,
[ 6S6 ]
XVIII] JOSHUA
and half the tribe of Manasseli, have received their
inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses
the servant of the Lord gave them.
And the men arose, and went away: 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, that I may here cast lots for you be-
fore the Lord in Shiloh. And the men went and passed
through the land, and described it by cities into seven
parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host
at Shiloh.
And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the
Lord : and there Joshua divided the land unto the chil-
dren of Israel according to their divisions.
And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin
came up according to their families : and the coast of
their lot cam.e forth between the children of Judah and
the children of Joseph. And their border on the north
side was from Jordan ; and the border went up to the
side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through
the mountains westward ; and the goings out thereof
were at the wilderness of Beth-aven. And the border
went over from thence toward Luz,tothe sideof Luz,
which is Beth-el, southward; and the border descend-
ed to Ataroth-adar , near the hill that lieth on the south
side of the nether Beth-horon. And the border was
[ 687 ]
JOSHUA [XVIII
drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea
southward, from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon
southward ; and the goings out thereof were at Kir-
jath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the chil-
dren of Judah : this was the west quarter. And the south
quarter was from the end of Kirjath-jearim, and the
border went out on the west, and went out to the well
of waters of Nephtoah: and the border came down to
the end of tlie mountain that lieth before the valley of
the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the
giants on the north, and descended to the valley of
Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and de-
scended to En-rogel, and was drawn from the north,
and went forth toEn-sheinesh, and went forth toward
Geliloth, which is over against the going upof Adum-
mim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of
Reuben , and passed along toward the side over against
Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah: and
the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah
northward : and the outgoings of the border were at
the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jor-
dan : this was the south coast. And Jordan was the bor-
der of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of
the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round
about, according to their families. Nowthe cities of the
tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their
[ 6.S8 ]
XIX] JOSHUA
families were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and the val-
ley of Keziz, and Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and
Beth-el, and x\vim,and Parah,and Ophrah, and Che-
phar-haammonai,and Ophni,and Gaba; twelve cities
with their villag;es : Gibeon,and Ramah,and Beeroth,
and Mizpeh,and Chephirah,and Mozah,and Rekem,
and Ir peel , and Taralah , and Zelah , Eleph , and Jebusi ,
which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen
cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the
children of Benjamin according to their families.
And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for
the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their
families: and their inheritance was within the inherit-
ance of the children of Judah. And they had in their in-
heritance Beer-sheba, and Sheba, and Moladah, and
Hazar-shual, and Balah, and Azem, and Eltolad, and
Bethul, and Hormah, and Ziklag, and Beth-marca-
both, and Hazar-susah, and Beth-lebaoth, and Sharu-
hen ; thirteen cities and their villages : Ain, Remmon,
and Ether, and Ashan ; four cities and their villages :
and all the villages that were round about these cities
toBaalath-beer,Ramath of the south. This is the inhe-
ritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon accord-
ing to their families. Out of the portion of the children
of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon:
for the part of the children of Judah was too much for
[ 689 ]
JOSHUA [XIX
them : therefore the children of Simeon had their in-
heritance within the inheritance of them.
And the third lot came up for the children of Zebu-
lun according to their families : and the border of their
inheritance was unto Sarid : and their border went up
toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabba-
sheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam;
and turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising
unto the border of Chisloth-tabor, and then goeth out
to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia, and from thence
passeth on along on the east to Gittah-hepher,to Ittah-
kazin, and goeth out to Remmon-methoar to Neah;
and the border compasseth it on the north side to Han-
nathon : and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of
Jiphthah-el: and Kattath, and Nahallal,and Shimron,
and Idalah, and Beth-lehem: twelve cities with their
villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Ze-
bulun according to their families, these cities with their
villages.
And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the chil-
dren of Issachar according to their families. And their
border was toward Jezreel,and Chesulloth. and Shu-
nem, and Haphraim, and Shihon,and Anaharath,and
Rabbith,and Kishion,and Abez,and Remeth,and En-
gannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez; and the
coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Beth-
[ 690 J
XIX] JOSHUA
shemesh ; and the outgoings of their border were at
Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages. This is the
inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar ac-
cording to their families, the cities and their villages.
And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the chil-
dren of Aslier according to their families. And their
border. was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Ach-
shaph,and Alammelech,and Amad,and Misheal; and
reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-libnath ;
and turneth toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and
reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el
toward the north side of Bcth-emek, and Neiel, and
goeth out to Cabul on die left hand, and Hebron, and
Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great
Zidon ; and then the coast turneth to Ramah , and to the
strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah ; and
the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to
Achzib: Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty
and two cities with their villages. This is the inherit-
ance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to
their families, these cities with their villages.
The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali,
even for the children of Naphtali according to their
families. And their coast was from Heleph,from Allon
to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto
Lakum ; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan :
[ 691 ]
JOSHUA [XIX
and then the coast turn eth westward to Aznoth-tabor,
and goeth out from thence to Hukkok,and reaclieth to
Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on
the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the
sunrising. And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and
Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, and Adamah,
and Ramah, and Hazor, and Kedesh, and Edrei, and
En-hazor,and Iron, and Migdal-el,Horem,and Beth-
anath, and Beth-shemesh ; nineteen cities with their
villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the chil-
dren of Naphtali according to their families, the cities
and their villages.
x\nd the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the
children of Dan according to their families. And the
coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol,and
Ir-shemesh, and Shaalabbin,and Ajalon, and Jethlah,
and Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron, and Eltekeh,
and Gibbethon, and Baalath, and Jehud, and Bene-
berak, and Gath-rimmon, and Me-jarkon, and Rak-
kon, with the border before Japho. And the coast of
the children of Dan went out too little for them : there-
fore the children of Dan went up to fight against Le-
shem, 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. This
is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan ac-
[ G92 ]
XX] JOSHUA
cording to their families, these cities with their villages.
When they had made an end of dividing the land for
inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave
an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:
according to the word of the Lord they gave him the
city which he asked, even Timnath-serah in mount
Ejjhraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.
These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest,
and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fa-
thers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for
an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the Lord, at the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they
made an end of dividing the country.
The Ij3rd also spake unto Joshua, saying. Speak
to the children of Israel, saying. Appoint out for you
cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand
of Moses : that the slayer that killeth any person un-
awares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they
shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. And
when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall
stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall
declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city,
they shall take him into the city unto them, and give
him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the
avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not
deliver the slayer up into his hand ; because he smote
[ 693 J
JOSHUA [XXI
his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not before-
time. And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand
before the congregation for judgment, and until the
death of the high priest that shall be in those days : then
shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city,
and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he
fled.
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount
Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kir-
jath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward , they
assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of
the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the
tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of
Manasseh. These were the cities appointed for all the
children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourn eth
among them, that whosoever killeth any person at un-
awares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of
the avenger of blood, until he stood before the con-
gregation.
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Le-
vites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son
of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes
of the children of Israel ; and they spake unto them at
Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord com-
manded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell
[ 694 ]
XXI] JOSHUA
in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. And the chil-
dren of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inherit-
ance , at the commandment of the Lord , these cities and
their suburbs. And the lot came out for the families of
the Kohatliites : and the children of Aaron the priest,
which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe
of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of
the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. And the rest of
the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of
the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and
out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. And the
children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of
the tribe of Issachar,and out of the tribe of Asher,and
out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of
Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. The children of
Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben,
and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Ze-
bulun, tvv'elve cities. And the children of Israel gave
by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs,
as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
And they gave out of the tribe of the children of
Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon,
these cities which are here mentioned byname, which
the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Ko-
hathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for
theirs was the first lot. And they gave them the city
[ 695 ]
JOSHUA [XXI
of Arba the father of Anak , which city is Hebron , in the
hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round
about it. But the fields of the city, and the villages
thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for
his possession.
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest
Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the
slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir with
her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs, and Ho-
lonwith her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, and
Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah wdth her suburbs,
and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of
those two tribes. And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gi-
beon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, Ana-
thoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs ;
four cities. All the cities of the children of x^aron, the
priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
i\.nd the families of the children of Kohath, the Le-
vites which remained of the children of Kohath, even
they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephra-
im. For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in
mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer;
and Gezer with her suburbs, and Kibzaim with her
suburbs, and Beth-horonwith her suburbs; four cities.
And out of the tribeof Dan,Eltekeh with her suburbs,
Gibbethon with her suburbs,Aijalon with her suburbs,
[ 696 ]
XXI] JOSHUA
Gath-rimmon with her suburbs ; four cities. And out of
the liah'' tribe of Manasseh,Tanach with her suburbs,
and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; two cities. All
the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families
of the children of Kohath that remained.
And unto the children of Gershon, of the families
of the Le vites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh
they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a
city of refuge for the slayer ; and Beesh-terah with her
suburbs ; two cities. And out of the tribe of Issachar,
Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,
Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her sub-
urbs ; four cities. And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal
with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs, Helkath
with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs ; four
cities. And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Ga-
lilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the
slayer ; and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs, and Kar-
tan with her suburbs ; three cities. All the cities of the
Gershonites according to their families were thirteen
cities with their suburbs.
And unto the families of the children of Merari, the
rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jok-
neam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,
Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs ;
four cities. And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with
[ 697 ]
JOSHUA [XXII
her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs, Kedemoth
with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs;
four cities. And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in
Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for
the slayer ; and Mahanaim with her suburbs, Heshbon
with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs ; four cities
in all. So all the cities for the children of Merari by
their families, which were remaining of the families
of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities. All the
cities of the Levites within the possession of the chil-
dren of Israel were forty and eight cities with their
suburbs. These cities were every one with their sub-
urbs round about them : thus were all these cities.
And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he
sware to give unto their fathers ; and they possessed
it, and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest
round about, according to all that he sware unto their
fathers : and there stood not a man of all their enemies
before them ; the Lord delivered all their enemies into
their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing
which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel ;
all came to pass.
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gad-
ites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and said unto
them. Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the
Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in
[ 69S ]
XXII] JOSHUA
all that I commanded you : ye have not left your bre-
thren these many days unto this day, but have kept the
charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.
And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your
brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return
ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of
your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord
gave you on the other side Jordan. But take diligent
heed to do the commandment and the law, which Mo-
ses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the
Lord your God, and to walk in all his way s, and to keep
his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and ta
serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. So
Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they
went unto their tents.
Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Mo-
ses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other
half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this
side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them
away also unto their tents, then he blessed them, and
he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches
unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with sil-
ver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and
with very much raiment : divide the spoil of your ene-
mies with your brethren.
And the children of Reuben and the children of
[ 699 J
JOSHUA [XXII
Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and de-
parted from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which
is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gi-
lead, to the land of their possession , whereof they were
possessed, according to the word of the Lord by the
hand of Moses.
And when they came unto the borders of Jordan,
that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben
and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh
built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.
And the children of Israel heard say. Behold, the
children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the
half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against
the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the
passage of the children of Israel. And when the chil-
dren of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of
the children of Israel gathered themselves together at
Shiloh, to go up to war against them. And the chil-
dren of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and
to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Ma-
nasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of
Eleazar the priest, and with him ten princes, of each
chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel ;
and each one was an head of the house of their fathers
among the thousands of Israel.
And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to
[ TOO ]
XXII] JOSHUA
the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh,
unto the land of Gilead,and they spake with them, say-
ing, Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord,
What trespass is this that ye have committed against
the God of Israel, to turn away this day from follow-
ing the Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that
ye might rebel this day against the Lord ? Is the ini-
quity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not
cleansed until this day, although there was a plague
in the congregation of the Lord, but that ye must turn
away this day from following the Lord ? and it will be,
seeing ye rebel to day against the Lord, that to mor-
row he will be wroth with the whole congregation of
Israel. Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession
be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the pos-
session of the Lord, wherein the Lord's tabernacle
dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not
against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you
an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God. Did not
Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the ac-
cursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of
Israel } and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
Then the children of Reuben and the children of
Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and
said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, The
Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth,
[ '01 J
JOSHUA [XXII
and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in
transgression against the Lord, ( save us not this day, )
that we have built us an altar to turn from following
the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat
offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the
Lord himself require it ; and if we have not rather
done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come
your children might speak unto our children, saying,
What have ye to do v>^ith the Lord God of Israel? for
the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and
you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye
have no part in the Lord : so shall your children make
our children cease from fearing the Lord. Therefore
we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not
for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice : but that it may be
a witness between us, and you, and our generations
after us, that we might do the service of the Lord be-
fore him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacri-
fices, and with our peace offerings ; that your children
may not say to our children in time to come. Ye have
no part in the Lord. Therefore said we, that it shall
be, when they should so say to us or to our genera-
tions in time to come, that we may say again, Behold
the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers
made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it
is a witness between us and you. God forbid that we
[ TOJe J
xxiii JOSHUA
should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from
following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt offer-
ings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the al-
tar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle.
And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of
the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel
which were with him, heard the words that the chil-
dren of Reuben and the children of Gad and the chil-
dren of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. And Phine-
has the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children
of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the chil-
dren of Manasseh,This day we perceive that the Lord
is among us, because ye have not committed this tres-
pass against the Lord : now ye have delivered the chil-
dren of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the
princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and
from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead,
unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and
brought them word again. And the thing pleased the
children of Israel ; and the children of Israel blessed
God, and did not intend to go up against them in bat-
tle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reu-
ben and Gad dwelt. And the children of Reuben and
the children of Gad called the altar Ed : for it shall be
a witness between us that the Lord is God.
[ 703 ]
JOSHUA [xxiii
And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord
had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round
about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. And
Joshuacailed for all Israel, and for their elders, and for
their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers,
and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: and
ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done un-
to all these nations because of you ; for the Lord your
God is he that hath fought for you. Behold, I have
divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to
be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with
all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great
sea westward. And the Lord your God, he shall expel
them from before you, and drive them from out of your
sight ; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your
God hath promised unto you. Be ye therefore very
courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the
book of the law of Moses , that ye turn not aside there-
from to the right hand or to the left ; that ye come not
among these nations, these that remain among you;
neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor
cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow
yourselves unto them : but cleave unto the Lord your
God, as ye have done unto this day. For the Lord hath
driven out from before you great nations and strong:
but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before
[ 704 ]
XXIII] JOSHUA
you unto this day. One man of you shall chase a thou-
sand : for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for
you, as he hath promised you. Take good heed there-
fore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.
Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto
the remnant of these nations, even these that remain
among you, and shall make marriages w^ith them, and
go in unto them , and they to you : know for a certainty
that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of
these nations from before you ; but they shall be snares
and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and
thorns in your eyes,ur.til ye perish from off this good
land which the Lord your God hath given you. And,
behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth:
and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that
not one thing hath failed of all the good things which
the Lord your God spake concerning you ; all are come
to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things
are come upon you, which the Lord your God pro-
mised you ; so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil
things, until he have destroyed you from off this good
land which the Lord your God hath given you. When
ye have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your
God, which he commanded you, and have gone and
served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them;
I [ 70.5 ] z
JOSHUA [XXIV
then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against
you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good
land which he hath given unto you.
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to
Shechem, and called for tlie elders of Israel, and for
their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers ;
and they presented themselves before God. And Jo-
shua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God
of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the
flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham,
and the fatherof Nachor : and they served other gods.
And I took your father Abraham from the other side
of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of
Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.
And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau : and I gave
unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it ; but Jacob and his
children went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also and
Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which
I did among them : and afterward I brought you out.
And I brought your fathers out of Egypt : and ye came
unto the sea ; and the Egyptians pursued after your
fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.
And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness
between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea
upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have
seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the
[ 706 ]
XXIV] JOSHUA
wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the
land of the Amorites, which dweltontheother side Jor-
dan ; and they fought with you : and I gave them into
your hand, that ye might possess their land ; and I de-
stroyed them from before you. Then Balak the son of
Zi p{X)r , ki ng of Moab , arose and warred against Israel ,
and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse
you : but I would not hearken unto Balaam ; therefore
he blessed you still : so I delivered you out of his hand.
And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho : and
the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites,
and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hit-
tites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebu-
sites ; and I delivered them into your hand. And I sent
the hornet before you, which drave them out from be-
fore you, even the two kings of the Amorites ; but not
with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have given
you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which
ye built not, and ye dwell in them ; of the vineyards
and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sin-
cerity and in truth : and put away the gods which your
fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in
Egypt ; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil un-
to you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom
ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers
[ 707 ]
JOSHUA [XXIV
served that were on the other side of the flood, or the
gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell : but as
for me and my house, we will serve the Lx)rd. And the
people answered and said, God forbid that we should
forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; for the Lord
our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers
out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage,
and which did those great signs in our sight, and pre-
served us in all the way wherein we went, and among
all the people through whom we passed: and the Lord
draveout from before us all the people, even the Amo-
rites which dwelt in the land : therefore will we also
serve the Lord ; for he is our God. And Joshua said un-
to the people. Ye cannot serve the Lord : for he is an
holy God ; he is a jealous God ; he will not forgive your
transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord,
and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you
hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you
good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we
will serve the Lord. And Joshua said unto the people.
Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have cho-
sen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said. We
are witnesses. Now therefore put away, said he, the
strange gods which are among you, and incline your
heart unto the Lord God of Israel. And the people said
unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his
[ 708 ]
XXIV] JOSHUA
voice will we obey. So Joshua made a cov enant with
the people that day, and set them a statute and an or-
dinance in Shechem.
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the
law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there
under an oak, that was by the san61uary of the Lord.
And Joshua said unto all the people. Behold, this stone
shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the
words of the Lx)rd w'hich he spake unto us : it shall be
therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.
So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his
inheritance.
And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua
the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being
an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in
the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which
is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of
Gaash. And Israel served the Lord all the days of Jo-
shua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Jo-
shua, and which had known all the works of the Lord,
that he had done for Israel.
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Is-
rael brought upout of Egypt, buried they in Shechem,
in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons
of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces
of silver : and it became theinheritanceof the children
[ 709 ]
JOSHUA [XXIV
of Joseph. And Eleazar the son of Aaron died ; and
they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas
his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.
[ 710 ]
THE BOOK OF
JUDGES
^TOW after the death of Joshua it came to pass,
^ tliat the children of Israel asked the Lord, say-
ing, Who sliall go up for us against the Canaanites
first, to fight against them ? And the Lord said, Judah
shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his
hand. And Judah said unto Simeon his brother. Come
up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the
Canaanites ; and I likewise will go with thee into thy
lot. So Sim^eon went with him. And Judah went up ; and
the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites
into their hand : and they slew of them in Bezek ten
thousand men. Andthey found Adoni-bezek in Bezek:
and they fought against him, and they slew the Ca-
naanites and the Perizzites. But Adoni-bezek fled ; and
they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off
his thumbs and his great toes. And Adoni-bezek said.
Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and
their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my
table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And
they brought him to Jerusalem , and there he died. Now
the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem,
and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the
sword, and set the city on fire.
[ Til ]
JUDGES [I
And afterward the children of Judah went down to
fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the moun-
tain, and in the south, and in the valley. And Judah
went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron:
(now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba: )
and they slew Sheshai,and Ahiman,and Talmai. And
from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir :
and the name of Debir before was Kir jath-sepher : and
Caleb said, He that smiteth Kir jath-sepher, and taketh
it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother,
took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she
moved him to ask of her father a field : and she lighted
from off her ass ; and Caleb said unto her. What wilt
thou .f^ And she said unto him. Give me a blessing : for
thou hast given me a south land ; give me also springs
of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and
the nether springs.
And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in
laWjWentupoutof the city of palm trees with the chil-
dren of Judah into the wilderness of Judah , which lieth
in the south of Arad ; and they went and dwelt among
the people. And Judah went with Simeon his brother,
and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath,
and utterly destroy ed it. And the name of the city was
[ 'TIS ]
I] JUDGES
called Hormah. Also Judah took Gaza with the coast
thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof ,and Ekron
with the coast thereof. And the Lord was with Judah ;
and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain ; but
could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, be-
cause they had chariots of iron. And they gave Hebron
unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the
three sons of Anak. And the children of Benjamin did
not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem-
but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin
in Jerusalem unto this day.
And the house of Joseph, they also went up against
Beth-el: and the Lord was with them. And the house
of Joseph sent to descry Beth-el. ( Now the name of
the city before was Luz. ) And the spies saw a man
come forth out of the city, and they said unto him,
Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and
we will shew thee mercy. And when he shewed them
the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the
edge of the sword ; but they let go the man and all
his family. And the man w^ent into the land of the Hit-
tites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz:
which is the name thereof unto this day.
Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants
of Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her
towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor
I [ 713 ] z2
JUDGES [I
the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the in-
habitants of Megiddo and her towns : but the Canaan-
ites would dwell in that land. And it came to pass,
when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaan-
ites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that
dwelt in Gezer ; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer
among them.
Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of
Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Ca-
naanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.
Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Ac-
cho,nor the inhabitants of Zidon,nor of Ahlab,nor of
Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob :
but the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the in-
habitants of the land : for they did not drive them out.
Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of
Beth-shemesh,nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath ; but
he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the
land : nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh
and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them. And
the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the moun-
tain : for they would not suffer them to come down to
the valley: but the Amorites would dwell in mount
Heres in Aijalon,and in Shaalbim : yet the hand of the
house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tribu-
[ ^/^!' ]
II] JUDGES
taries. And tlic coast of the Amorites was from the
going up to Akrabbini, from the rock, and upward.
And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to
Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt,
and have brought you unto the land which I sware un-
to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my cove-
nant with you. And ye shall make no league with the
inhabitants of this land ; ye shall throw down their al-
tars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye
done this ? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them
out from before you ; but they shall be as thorns in
your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
And it came to pass, when theangel of the Lord spake
these words unto all the children of Israel, that the
people lifted up their voice, and wept. And they called
the name of that place Bochim : and they sacrificed
there unto the Lord.
And when Joshua had let the people go, the chil-
dren of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to
possess the land. And the people served the Lord all
the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that
outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of
the Lord, that he did for Israel. And Joshua the son of
Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred
and ten years old. And they buried him in the border
of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of
[ ^15 ]
JUDGES [II
Ephraim,on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also
all that generation were gathered unto their fathers :
and there arose another generation after them, which
knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had
done for Israel.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the
Lord, and served Baalim: and they forsook the Lord
God of their fathers, which brought them out of the
land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods
of the people that were round about them, and bowed
themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to an-
ger. And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and
Ashtaroth.
And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel,
and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that
spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their
enemies round about, so that they could not any longer
stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went
out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil,
as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto
them: and they were greatly distressed.
Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which de-
livered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
And yet they would not hearken unto their judges,
but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed
themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the
[ T16 ]
Ill] JUDGES
way wliicli their fathers walked in, obeying the com-
mandments of the Lord ; but they did not so. And when
the Lord raised tliem up judges, tlien the Lord was
with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of
their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented
the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them
that oppressed them and vexed them. And it came
to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned,
and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in
following other gods to serve them, and to bow down
unto them ; they ceased not from their own doings, nor
from their stubborn way.
And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel ;
and he said. Because that this people hath transgressed
my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and
have not hearkened unto my voice; I also will not
henceforth drive out any from before them of the na-
tions which Joshua left when he died: that through
them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the
way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did
keep it, or not. Therefore the Lord left those nations,
without driving them out hastily ; neither delivered he
them into the hand of Joshua.
Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to
prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had
not known all the wars of Canaan ; only that the gene-
[ ^17 ]
JUDGES [III
rations of the children of Israel might know, to teach
them war, at the least such as before knew nothing
thereof; namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all
theCanaanites,and theSidonians,and the Hivitesthat
dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon
unto the entering in of Hamath. And they were to
prove Israel by them, to know whether they would
hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which
he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Ca-
naanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and
Hivites, and Jebusites: and they took their daughters
to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their
sons, and served their gods. And the children of Is-
rael did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the
Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against
Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-
rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of
Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years. And
when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the
Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel,
who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz,
Caleb's younger brother. And the Spirit of the Lord
came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out
to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim
[ ^18 ]
Ill] JUDGES
king of Mesopotamia into his hand ; and his liand pre-
vailed against Chushan-rishathaim. And the land had
rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
And the cliildren of Israel did evil again in the
sight of the Lord : and the Lord strengthened Eglon
the king of Moab against Israel, because they had
done evil in the sight of tlie Lord. And he gathered
unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and
went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm
trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king
of Moab eighteen years. But when the children of Is-
rael cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a
deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man
lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent
a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. But Ehud
made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit
length ; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his
right thigh. And he brought the present unto Eglon
king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. And
when he had made an end to offer the present, he
sent away the people that bare the present. But he
himself turned again from the quarries that were by
Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee,
O king: who said. Keep silence. And all that stood
by him went out from him. And Ehud came unto
him ; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which
[ T19 ]
JUDGES [III
he had for himself alone. 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 dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into
his belly: and the haft also went in after the blade;
and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not
draw the dagger out of his belly ; and the dirt came
out. Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and
shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked
them. When he was gone out, his servants came ; and
when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour
were locked, they said. Surely he covereth his feet
in his summer chamber. And they tarried till they
were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors
of the parlour ; therefore they took a 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 Se-
irath. And it came to pass, when he was come, that
he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and
the children of Israel went down with him from the
mount, and he before them. And he said unto them.
Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your
enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went
down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward
Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they
L 720 ]
IV] JUDGES
slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men,
all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped
not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the
hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
And after him was Shamgarthe son of Anath, which
slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox
goad: and he also delivered Israel.
And the children of Israel again did evil in the
sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead. And the Lord
sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that
reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Si-
sera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And
the children of Israel cried unto the Lord : for he had
nine hundred chariots of iron ; and twenty years he
mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth,
she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under
the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el
in mount Ephraim : and the children of Israel came
up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Ba-
rak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and
said unto him. Hath not the Lord God of Israel com-
manded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor,
and take with thee ten thousand men of the children
of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun ? And I
will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the
[ '21 ]
JUDGES [IV
captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his mul-
titude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And
Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I
will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will
not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: not-
withstanding the journey that thou takest shall not
be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera
into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and
went with Barak to Kedesh.
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Ke-
desh ; and he went up with ten thousand men at his
feet: and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the
Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the fa-
ther in lav/ of Moses, had severed himself from the
Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaa-
naim, which is by Kedesh. And they shewed 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 peo-
ple that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gen-
tiles unto the river of Kishon. And Deborah said un-
to Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord
hath delivered Sisera into thine hand : is not the Lord
gone out before thee.? So Barak Vv^ent down from
mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. And
the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and
[ 722 ]
ivi JUDGES
all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak ;
so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled
away on his feet. But Barak pursued after the cha-
riots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gen-
tiles : and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of
the sword ; and there w^as not a man left. Howbeit Si-
sera 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
when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she
covered liini with a mantle. 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. Again he said un-
to her. Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be,
>vhen any man doth come and enquire of thee, and
say. Is there any m.an here.^ that thou shalt say. No.
Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and
took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto
him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fast-
ened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and
weary. So he died. And, behold, as Barak pursued Si-
sera, Jael came out to m.eet him, and said unto him,
[ 723 ]
JUDGES [V
Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou
seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold. Si-
sera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples. So
God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan
before the children of Israel. And the hand of the
children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against
Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed
Jabin king of Canaan.
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam
on that day, saying.
Praise ye the Lord
For the avenging of Israel,
When the people willingly offered themselves.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes;
I, even I, will sing unto the Lord;
I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir,
When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom,
The earth trembled, and the heavens dropped,
The clouds also dropped water.
The mountains melted from before the Lord,
Even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel.
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
In the days of Jael,the highways were unoccupied,
And the travellers walked through byways.
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased
in Israel,
[ 724 ]
V] JUDGES
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 peo-
ple.
Bless ye the Lord.
Speak, ye that ride on white asses.
Ye that sit in judgment,
And walk by the way.
They that are delivered from the noise of archers in
the places of drawing water.
There shall they rehearse the righteous a6ls of the
Lord,
Even the righteous a6ls toward the inhabitants of his
villages in Israel:
Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the
gates.
Awake, awake, Deborah:
Awake, awake, utter a song:
Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son
of Abinoam.
Then he made him that remaineth have dominion
over the nobles among the people:
The Lord made me have dominion over the mighty.
[ T25 ]
JUDGES [V
Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against
Amalek ;
After thee, Benjamin, among thy people;
Out of Machir came down governors,
And out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the
writer.
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah ;
Even Issachar, and also Barak:
He was sent on foot into the valley.
For the divisions of Reuben
There were great thoughts of heart.
V/hy abodest thou among the sheepfolds.
To hear the bleatings of the flocks ?
For the divisions of Reuben
There were great searchings of heart,
Gilead abode beyond Jordan:
And why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher continued on the sea shore.
And abode in his breaches.
Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded
their lives unto the death
In 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.
They fought from lieaven ;
[ 726 ]
V] JUDGES
The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
The river of Kishon swept them away.
That ancient river, the river Kishon.
O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
Then were the horsehoofs broken
By the means of the pransings, the pransings of their
mighty ones.
Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord,
Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof;
Because they came not to the help of the Lord,
To the help of the Lord against the mighty.
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber
the Kenite be.
Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
He asked water, and she gave him milk ;
She brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
She put her hand to the nail,
And her right hand to the workmen's hammer;
And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote
off his head.
When she had pierced and stricken through his tem-
ples.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down:
At her feet he bowed, he fell:
Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
The mother of Sisera looked out at a window.
And cried through the lattice,
[ 727 ]
JUDGES [VI
Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why tarry the wheels of his chariots ?
Her wise ladies answered her,
Yea, she returned answer to herself,
Have they not sped ? have they not divided the prey ;
To every man a damsel or two ;
To Sisera a prey of divers colours,
A prey of divers colours of needlework,
Of divers colours of needlework on both sides,
meet for the necks of them that take the spoil ?
So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord:
But let them that love him be as the sun when
he goeth forth in his might.
And the land had rest forty years.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of
the Lord : and the Lord delivered them into the hand
of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian pre-
vailed against Israel : and because of the Midianites
the children of Israel made them the dens which are
in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And
so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites
came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the
east, even they came up against them ; and they en-
camped against them, and destroyed the increase of
the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sus-
tenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For
[ 728 ]
VI] JUDGES
they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they
came as grasshoppers formultitude ;forboth they and
their camels were without number: and they entered
into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly im-
poverished because of the Midianites ; and the chil-
dren of Israel cried unto the Lord.
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel
cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, that
the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel,
which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Is-
rael, 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 drave them out
from before you, and gave you their land ; and I said
unto you, I am the Lord your God ; fear not the gods
of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have
not obeyed my voice.
And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat un-
der an oak which w'as in Ophrah, that pertained unto
Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed
wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and
said unto himi. The Lord is with thee, thou mighty
man of valour. And Gideon said unto him. Oh my
Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this be-
[ 729 ]
JUDGES [VI
fallen us ? and where be all his miracles which our fa-
thers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up
from Egypt ? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and
delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the
Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might,
and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midi-
anites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him.
Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold,
my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in
my father's house. And the Lord said unto him. Surely
I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midian-
ites as one man. And he said unto him. If now I have
found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that
thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray thee,
until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present,
and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until
thou come again.
And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and
unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he
put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and
brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented
it. And the angel of God said unto him. Take the
flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon
thife rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of
the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh
[ 730 ]
vr] JUDGES
and the unleavened cakes ; and there rose up fire out
of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unlea-
vened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out
of his sight. And when Gideon perceived that he was
an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas,0 Lord God !
for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to
face. And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee ;
fear not: thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built an altar
there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom:
unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord
said unto him. Take thy father's young bullock, even
the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down
the altar of Baal that tliy father hath, and cut down
the grove that is by it: and build an altar unto the
Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the or-
dered place, and take the second bullock, and offer
a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which
thou shalt cut down. Then Gideon took ten men of
his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him:
and so it was, because he feared his father's house-
hold, and the men of the city, that he could not do it
by 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 cast down,
and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the
[ 731 ]
JUDGES [VI
second bullock was offered upon the altar that was
built. And they said one to another, Who hath done
this thing? And when they enquired 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 cast down
the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the
grove that was by it. And Joash said unto all that
stood against him. Will ye plead for Baal.^ will ye
save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put
to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let
him plead for himself, because one hath cast down
his altar. Therefore on that day he called him Jerub-
baal, saying. Let Baal plead against him, because he
hath thrown down his altar.
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and
the children of the east were gathered together, and
went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. But
the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew
a trumpet ; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him. And
he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh ; who
also was gathered after him : and he sent messengers
unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali;
and they came up to meet them.
And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel
by mine hand, as thou hast said, behold, I will put a
[ 732 J
VII] JUDGES
fleece of wool m the floor ; and if the dew be on the
fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside,
then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by inine
hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up
early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together,
and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full
of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine
anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this
once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with
the fleece ; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and
upon all the ground let there be dew. 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 peo-
ple that were with him, rose up early, and pitched
beside the well of Harod : so that the host of the Mi-
dianites were on the north side of them, by the hill
of Moreh, in the valley. And the Lord said unto Gi-
deon,The people that are with thee are too many for
me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Is-
rael vaunt themselves against me, saying. Mine own
hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim
in the ears of the people, saying. Whosoever is fear-
ful and afraid, let him return and depart early from
mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twen-
ty and two thousand ; and there remained ten thou-
[ 733 ]
JUDGES [VII
sand. And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are
yet too many ; bring them down unto the water, and
I will try them for thee there : and it shall be, that of
whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the
same shall go with thee ; and of whomsoever I say
unto thee. This shall not go with thee, the same shall
not go. So he brought down the people unto the wa-
ter: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that
lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lap-
peth, him shalt 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, w^ere three hundred men: but all the
rest of the people bowed dov/n upon their knees to
drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the
three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and
deliver tl:e Midianites into thine hand: and let all the
other people go every man unto his place. So the peo-
pie took vi6luals in their hand, and their trumpets:
and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his
tent, and retained those three hundred men : and the
host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord
said unto him, Arise, get thee dov/n unto the host; for
I have delivered it into thine hand. But if thou fear to
go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to
[ 734 ]
viL] JUDGES
the host: and thou shah hear what they say ; and after-
ward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down
unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his
servant unto the outside of the armed men that were
in the host. And the Midianitesandthe Amalekitesand
all the children of the east lay along in the valley like
grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were
without number, as the sand by the sea side for mul-
titude. And when Gideon was come, behold, there
was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said.
Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley
bread tumbled into the host of Midian,and came unto
a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that
the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said.
This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the
son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath
God delivered Midian, and all the host.
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the
dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he wor-
shipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said.
Arise ; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the
hostof Midian. And he divided the three hundred men
into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every
man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within
the pitchers. And he said unto them. Look on me, and
do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside
[ ^^5 ]
JUDGES [VII
of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with
me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of
all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of
Gideon.
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with
him, came unto the outside of the camp in the begin-
ning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set
the v/atch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the
pitchers that were in their hands. And the three com-
panies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and
held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in
their right hands to blow withal: and they cried. The
sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. And they stood
every man in his place round about the camp: and all
the host ran, and cried, and fled. And the three hun-
dred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's
sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host:
and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to
the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath. And the
men of Israel gathered themselves together out of
Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh,
and pursued after the Midianites.
And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount
Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midian-
ites,and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah
[ 736 ]
VIII] JUDGES
and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered
themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-
barah and Jordan. And they took two princes of the
MidianiteSjOreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon
the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress
of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads
of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast
thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when
thou wentest to fight w^ith the Midianites .^ And they
did chide with him sharply. And he said unto them,
What have I done now in comparison of you.^ Is not
the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than
the vintage of Abi-ezer ? God hath delivered into your
hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb : and what
was I able to do in comparison of you ? Then their an-
ger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he,
and the three hundred men that were with him, faint,
yet pursuing them. And he said unto the men of Suc-
coth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the peo-
ple that follow^ me : for they be faint, and I am pursu-
ing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And
the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah
and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should
give bread unto thine anny.^ And Gideon said,There-
I [ 737 ] 2a
JUDGES [VIII
fore wlien tlie Lord liath delivered Zebah and Zal-
munna into mine liand, then I will tear your flesh
with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake un^
to them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered
him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 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 hosts of the children of the
east : for there fell an hundred and twenty 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. And when Zebah
and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took
the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and
discomfited all the host.
And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle
before the sun was up, and caught a young man of
the men of Succoth, and enquired of him : and he de-
scribed unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders
thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. And he
came unto tlie men of Succoth, and said. Behold Ze-
bah and Zalmunna, witli whom ye did upbraid me,
[ 738 ]
VIII] JUDGES
saying, Are the hands of Zebali and Zahniinna now
in thine 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
beat 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 they; each
one resembled the children of a king. And he said.
They were my brethren, even the sons of my mo-
ther: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive,
I would not slay you. And he said unto Jcther his
firstborn. Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not
his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall
upon us : for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gi-
deon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took
away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou
over us, both thou, and thy son, and thyson's son also:
for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you,
neither shall my son rule over you : the Lord shall rule
over you.
[ 739 ]
JUDGES [VIII
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a re-
quest of you, that ^^e would give me every man the
earrings of his prey. ( For they had golden earrings,
because they were Ishmaelites. ) x\nd they answered,
We will willingly give them. And they spread a gar-
ment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of
his prey. And the weight of the golden earrings that
he requested was a thousand and seven hundred she-
kels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and pur-
ple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and be-
side the chains that were about their camels' necks.
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his
city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a
whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto
Gideon, and to his house.
Thus was Midian subdued before the children of
Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And
the country was in quietness forty years in the days
of Gideon.
And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in
his own house. And Gideon had threescore and ten
sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
And his concubine that was in Shechem,she also bare
him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old
age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his fa-
[ 740 ]
IX] JUDGES
ther,inOphrahof the Abi-ezrites. And it came to pass,
as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Is-
rael turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim,
and made Baal-berith their god. And the children of
Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had
delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies
on every side : neither shewed they kindness to the
house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all
the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to She-
chem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with
them, and with all the family of the house of his mo-
ther's father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the ears
of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you,
either that ail the sons of Jerubbaal, which are three-
score and ten persons, reign over you, or that one
reign over you ^ remember 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 persons, which followed him. And he went unto
his father's house at Oplirah, and slew his brethren
the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten per-
[ T-n ]
JUDGES [IX
sons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham
the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left ; for he hid
himself. And all the men of Shechem gathered toge-
ther, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made
Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was
in Shechem.
And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood
in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice,
and cried, and said unto them. Hearken unto me, ye
men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
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 honour God
and man, and go to be promoted 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 for-
sake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be
promoted over the trees .^^ Then said the trees unto
the vine. Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine
said unto thern, Should I leave my wine, which cheer-
eth God and man, and go to be promoted 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 anoint me king over you, thei"i
come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not.
[ ^742 ]
?x] JUDGES
let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the ce-
dars of Lebanon. Now therefore, if ye have done truly
and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king,
and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house,
and have done unto him according to the deserving of
his hands ; ( for my father fought for you, and adven-
tured his life far, 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, threescore and
ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abime-
lech^ the son of his maidservant, king over the men
of Shechem, because he is your brother;) if ye then
have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and
with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech,
and let him also rejoice in you : 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
i\bimelech his brother.
When Abimelech had reigned three years over Is-
rael, then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech
and the men of Shechem ; and the men of Shechem
dealt treacherously with Abimelech: that the cruelty
done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might
[ '^3 ]
JUDGES [IX
come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their
brother, which slew them ; and upon the men of She-
chem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in
the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that
came along that way by them : and it was told Abi-
melech. And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his
brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men
of Shechem put their confidence in him. And they
went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards,
and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went in-
to the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and
cursed Abimelech. And Gaal the son of Ebed said,
Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we
should serve him ? is not he the son of Jerubbaal } and
Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the fa-
ther of Shechem : for why should we serve him ? And
would to God this people were under my hand ! then
would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abime-
lech, Increase thine army, and come out.
And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the
words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kin-
dled. And he sent messengers unto Abimelech pri-
vily, saying. Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his
brethren be come to Shechem ; and, bcliold, they for-
tify the city against thee. Now therefore up by night,
[ 744 ]
IX] JUDGES
thou and the people that is 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 set
upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people
that is with him come out against thee, then mayest
thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
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 entering of the gate
of the city : and Abimelech rose up, and the people
that were with him, from lying in wait. And when
Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there
come people down from the top of the mountains.
i\nd 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 another company come along
by the plain of Meonenim.Tlien said Zebul unto him.
Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst.
Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him ? is not
this the people that thou hast despised ? go out, I pray
now, and fight with them. And Gaal went out before
the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
And x\bimelech chased him, and he fled before him,
and many were overthrown and wounded, even un-
I [ 74o J 2 a2
JUDGES [IX
to the entering of the gate. And Abimelech dwelt at
Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and liis brethren,
that they should not dwell in Shechem. And it came
to pass on the morrow, 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 looked, and, behold, the
people were come forth out of the city ; and he rose
up against them, and smote them. And Abimelech,
and the company that was with him, rushed forward,
and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and
the two other companies ran upon all the people that
were in the fields, and slew them. And Abimelech
fought against the city all that day ; and he took the
city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat
down the city, and sowed it with salt.
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem
heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of
the god Berith. And it was told Abimelech, that 'ail
the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered to-
gether. And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zal-
mon,he and all the people that were with him; and
Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a
bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his
shoulder, and said unto the people that were with
him, \V^hat ye have seen me do, make has4:e, and do
[ ^^C ]
xj JUDGES
as I have done. And all the people likewise cut down
every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and
put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon
them ; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem
died also, about a thousand men and women.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped
against Thebez, and took it. But there w'as a strong
tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and
women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them,
and gat them up to the top of the tower. And Abime-
lech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and
went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with
fire. And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone
upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his scull.
Then he called hastily unto the young man his ar-
mourbearer, and said unto him. Draw thy sword, and
slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him.
And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was
dead, they departed every man unto his place.
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech,
which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy
brethren : and all the evil of the men of Shechem did
God render upon their heads: and upon them came
the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel
[ ^47 ]
JUDGES [X
Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Is-
sachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and
died, and was buried in Shamir.
And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged
Israel twenty and two years. And he had thirty sons
that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities,
which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are
in the land of Gilead. And Jair died, and was buried
in Camon.
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight
of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and
the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the
gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Am-
mon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook
the Lord, and served not him. And the anger of the
Lord w^as hot against Israel, and he sold them into
the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the
children of Amm.on. And that year they vexed and
oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all
the children of Israel that were on the other side Jor-
dan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jor-
dan to fight also against Judah, and against Benja-
mJn, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Is-
rael was sore distressed.
[ 748 ]
X] JUDGES
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord,
saying, We have sinned against thee, both because
we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Did
not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the
AmoriteSjfrom the children of Ammon,and from the
Philistines ? The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites,
and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to
me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet ye
have forsaken me, and served other gods: where-
fore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the
gods which ye have chosen ; let them deliver you in
the time of your tribulation.
And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We
have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth
good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this
day. And they put away the strange gods from among
them, and served the Lord : and his soul was grieved
for the misery of Israel. Then the children of Ammon
were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead.
And the children of Israel assembled themselves to-
gether, and encamped in Mizpeh. And the people
and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man
is he that will begin to fight against the children of
Ammon.? he shall be head over all the inhabitants
of Gilead.
[ ^^9 ]
JUDGES [XI
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of
valour, and he was the son of an harlot : and Gilead
begat Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bare him sons;
and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jeph-
thah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our
father's house ; for thou art the son of a strange wo-
man. Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt
in the land of Tob : and there were gathered vain
men to Jephthah, and went out with him.
And it came to pass in process of time, that the
children of Ammon 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 Jeph-
thah out of the land of Tob: and they said unto Jepl>
thah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight
with the children of Ammon. And Jephthah said unto
the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel
me out of my father's house ? and why are ye come
unto me now when ye are in distress ? And the eld-
ers of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn
again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and
fight against the children of Ammon, and be our
head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. And Jeph-
thah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me
home again to fight against the children of Ammon,
and the Lord deliver them before me, shall I be your
[ 750 ]
XI] JUDGES
head? And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah,
The Lord be witness between us, if we do not so ac-
cording to thy words. Then Jephthah went with the
elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and
captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words
before the Lord in Mizpeh.
And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of
the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to
do with me, that thou art come against me to fight
in my land ? And the king of the children of Ammon
answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because
Israel took away my land, when they came up out of
Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jor-
dan : now therefore restore those lands again peace-
ably. And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the
king of the children of Ammon: and said unto him,
Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land
of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon :
but when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked
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 would not hearken
thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king
of Moab : but he would not consent : and Israel abode
in Kadesh. Then they went along through the wil-
[ ^51 ]
JUDGES [XI
derness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the
land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land
of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Anion, but
came not within the border of Moab : for Arnon was
the border of Moab. And Israel sent messengers un-
to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon ;
and Israel said unto him. Let us pass, we pray thee,
through thy land into my place. But Sihon trusted not
Israel to pass through his coast : but Sihon gathered all
his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought
against Israel. And the Lord God of Israel delivered
Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and
they smote them : so Israel possessed all the land of
the Amorites , the inhabitants of that country . And they
possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon
even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even un-
to Jordan. So now the Lord God of Israel hath dis-
possessed the Amorites from before his people Israel,
and shouldest thou possess it.'^ Wilt not thou possess
that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess?
So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from
before us, them will we possess. 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 Hesh-
bon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and
[ ''552 ]
XI] JUDGES
in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon,
three hundred years? why therefore did ye not re-
cover them within that time? Wherefore I have not
sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war
against me: the Lord the Judge be judge this day be-
tween the children of Israel and the children of Am-
mon. Howbeit the king of tlie children of Amnion
hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he
sent him.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah,
and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh,and passed
over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead
he passed over unto the children of Ammon. And
Jephthah vowed a vow^ unto the Lord, and said. If
thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Am-
mon into mine hands, then it shall be, that whatso-
ever Cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet
me, when I return in peace from the children of Am-
mon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up
for a burnt offering.
So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Am-
mon to fight against them ; and the Lord delivered
them into his hands. And he smote them from Aro-
er, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty ci-
ties, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very
great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were
L T53 ]
JUDGES [XI
subdued before the children of Israel.
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house,
and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with
timbrels and with dances : and she was his only child ;
beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it
cametopass,when he sawher, that he rent his clothes,
and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me
very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me:
for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I
cannot go back. And she said unto him. My father, if
thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me
according to that which hath proceeded out of thy
mouth ; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance
for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Am-
mon. And she said unto her father, Let this thing be
done for me : let me alone two months, that I may go
up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my vir-
ginity,! and my fellows. And he said, Go. And he sent
her away for two months : and she went with her com-
panions, and bewailed her virginity upon the moun-
tains. And it came to pass at the end of two months,
that she returned unto her father, who did with her
according to his vow which he had vowed : and she
knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, that the
daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daugh-
ter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
[ T54 ]
XII] JUDGES
And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves to-
gether, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah,
Wherefore passedst thou over to hght against the
children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with
thee ? we will burn thine 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 delivered me not out of their hands.
And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my
life in my hands, and passed over against the chil-
dren of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into
my hand : wherefore then are ye come up unto me
this day, to fight against me? Then Jephthah ga-
thered together all the men of Gilead, and fought
with Ephraim : and the men of Gilead smote Ephra-
im, because they said. Ye Gileadites are fugitives of
Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the
Manassites. And the Gileadites took the passages of
Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it v^/as so, that
when those Ephraimites v/hich were escaped said,
Let me go over ; that 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 took him, and slew him at the pas-
sages of Jordan : and there fell at that time of the
[ 755 ]
JUDGES [XIII
Ephraimites forty and two thousand. And Jephthah
judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gi-
leadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem judged Israel.
And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom
lie sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from
abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth-lehem,
And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel;
and he judged Israel ten years. And Elon the Zebu-
lonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country
of Zebulun.
And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathon-
ite, judged Israel. And he had forty sons and thirty
nephews, 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 mount of
the Amalekites.
And the children of Israel did evil again in the
sight of the Lord ; and the Lord delivered tliem into
the hand of the Philistines forty years.
And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the fa-
mily of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and
his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of
the Lord appeared unto tlie woman, and said unto
[ 75G ]
XIII] JUDGES
her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not:
but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now there-
fore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor
strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: for, lo,
thou shalt conceive, and bear a son ; and no razor
shall come on his head : for tiie child shall be a Naza-
rite unto God from the womb : and he shall begin to
deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
Then the woman came and told her husband, say-
ing, A man of God came unto me, and his counte-
nance was like the countenance of an angel of God,
very terrible: but 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, neither eat any un-
clean thing: for the child sliall be a Nazarite to God
from the womb to the day of his death.
Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my
Lord, let the m.an of God which 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 Ma-
noah her husband was not with her. And the woman
made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and
said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto
[ 757 ]
JUDGES [XIII
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 un-
to the woman ? And he said, I am. And Manoah said.
Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we or-
der the child, and how shall v/e do unto him.? And
the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Of all that
I said unto the woman let her beware. She may not
eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let
her drink v/ine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean
thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.
And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I
pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made
ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the Lord said
unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat
of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering,
thou must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew
not that he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah
said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name,
that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee
honour.? And the angel of the Lord said unto him.
Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is
secret.? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering,
and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the
angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife
looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went
[ 758 ]
XIV] JUDGES
up toward heaven from ofl' the altar, that the angel
of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And
Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their
faces to the ground. But the angel of the Lord did no
more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Ma-
noah knew that he was an angel of the Lord. And
Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, be-
cause we have seen God. But his wife said unto him,
If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have
received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our
hands, neither would he have shewed us all these
tilings, nor would as at this time have told us such
things as these.
And the w^oman bare a son, and called his name
Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed
him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him
at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Esh-
taol.
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a
woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philis-
tines. And he came up, and told his father and his mo-
ther, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath 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,
[ T'SD ]
JUDGES [XIV
that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised
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 the Lord, that
he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at
that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his
mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of
Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against
him. And the Spirit of the Lord 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 well.
And after a time he returned to take her, and he
turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, be-
hold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the
carcase of the lion. And he took thereof in his hands,
and went on eating, and came to his father and mo-
ther, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told
not them that he had taken the honey out of the car-
case of the lion.
So his father went down unto the woman: and Sam-
son made there a feast ; for so used the young men
to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him, that
[ 7G0 ]
XIV] JUDGES
they brought thirty companions to be with him. And
Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle
unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the
seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give
you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: but
if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty
sheets and thirty change of garments. 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 meat,
And out of the strong came forth sweetness.
And they could not in three days expound 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
tliy father's house with fire : have ye called us to take
that we have.^ is it not so? And Samson's wife wept
before him, and said. Thou dost but hate me, 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 fa-
ther nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee.^ And she
wept before him the seven days, while their feast
lasted: and it cam.e to pass on the seventh day, that
he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she
[ 761 ]
JUDGES [XV
told the riddle to the children of her people. And the
men of the city said unto him on the seventh da,y be-
fore the sun went down, What is svv^eeter than ho-
ney ? 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 the Lord came upon him, and
he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of
them, and took their spoil, and gave change of gar-
ments unto them which expounded the riddle. And
his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's
house. But Samson's wife was given to his compan-
ion, whom he had used as his friend.
But it came to pass within a while after, 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
companion : is not her younger sister fairer than she?
take her, 1 pray thee, instead of her.
And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I
be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do
them a displeasure. And Samson went and caught
three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned
tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between
L "^G^ ]
XV]: JUDGES
two tails. And when lie had set the brands on fire, he
let them go into the standing corn of the Philistip.es,
and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing
corn, with the vineyards and olives.
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this.^
And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the
Timnite, because he had taken his v,^ife, and given
her to his companion. And the Philistines camxC up,
and burnt her and her father with fire.
And Samson said unto them. Though ye have
done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after
that I will cease. And he sinote them hip and thigh
with a great slaughter : and he Vv'ent down and dwelt
in the top of the rock Etam.
Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Ju-
dah, and spread themselves in Lehi. And the men
of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us.? And
they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to
do to him as he hath done to us. Then three thou-
sand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam,
and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Phi-
listines are rulers over us.? what 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 v/e
may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And
[ TG3 j
JUDGES [XV
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 de-
liver thee into their hand : but surely we will not kill
thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and
brought him up from the rock.
And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shout-
ed against him : and the Spirit of the Lord came might-
ily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms
became as flax that was burnt with lire, and his bands
loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jaw-
bone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it,
and slew a thousand men therewith. And Samson
said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps,
with the jaw of an ass have I slain 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 called that place Ramath-lehi.
And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord,
and said. Thou hast given this great deliverance in-
to the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for
thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised ?
But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw,
and there came water thereout; and when he had
drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: where-
fore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which
[ 764 ]
XVI] JUDGES
is in Lchi unto this day. And he judged Isra
days of the Philistines twenty years.
Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an liar-
lot, and went in unto her. And it was told the Ga-
zites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they com-
passed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the
gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying,
In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. And
Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and
took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two
posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put
them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the
top of an hill that is before Hebron.
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a
v/oman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was De-
lilah. x\nd the lords of the Philistines came up unto
her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein
liis great strength lieth, and by what means we may
prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflift
him : and we will give thee every 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 afflift thee. And Samson said
unto her. If they bind me with seven green withs that
were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as an-
[ '(^-5 ]
JUDGES [XVI
other man. Then the lords of the PhiHstines brought
up to her seven green withs which had not been dried,
and she bound him with them. Now there were men
lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And
she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Sam-
son. And he brake the withs, as a thread 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 bind me fast with new ropes
that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and
be as another man, Delilah therefore took new ropes,
and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Phi-
listines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers
in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them
from off his arms like a thread. And Delilah said un-
to Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told
me lies: tell me wherewith 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 be upon
thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and
went away with the pin of the beam, and with the
web.
And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love
I 700 ]
XVI] JUDGES
thee, when thine 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,
^^•hen she pressed him daily with her words, and
urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death:
tliat he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There
hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have
been a Nazarite 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 Philis-
tines, saying. Come up this once, for he hath shewed
me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines
came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
And she made him sleep upon her knees ; and she
called for a man, and she caused him to shave off
the seven locks of his head; and she began to affli6l
him, and his strength went from him. And she said.
The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke
out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other
times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that
the Lord was departed from him.
But the Philistines took liim, and put out his eyes,
and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with
fetters of brass ; and he did grind in the prison house.
[ 707 ]
JUDGES [XVI
Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again
after he was shaven. Then the lords of the Philistines
gathered them together for 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 in-
to our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our
country, which slew 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 for Samson out of the prison house; and he
made them sport: and they set him between the pil-
lars. And Samson said unto the lad that held him by
the hand. Suffer me that I may feel the pillars where-
upon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
Now the house was full of men and women ; and all
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 the Lord, and said, O Lord God,
remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I
pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at
once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars up-
on which the house stood, and on which it was borne
[ ^«« ]
XVII] JUDGES
up, of the one with liis right hand, and of 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 which he slew
at his death were more than they which he slew in
his life. Then his brethren and all the house of his fa-
ther came down, and took him, and brought him up,
and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the
buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged
Israel twenty years.
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose
name was Micah. And he said unto his mother, The
eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from
thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also
in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it
And his mother said. Blessed be thou of the Lord, my
son. And when he had restored the eleven hundred
shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had
wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my
hand for my son, to make a graven image and a mol-
ten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his
mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave
them to the founder, who made thereof a graven im-
age and a molten image: and they were in the house
I [ 769 ] 2b
JUDGES [XVIII
of Micah. And the man Micah had an house of gods,
and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated
one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days
there was no king in Israel, but 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 from Beth-Iehem-judah to sojourn where he could
find a place : and he came to mount Ephraim to the
house of Micah, as he journeyed. And Micah said un-
to him. Whence comest thou.^^ And he said unto him,
I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to so-
journ 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 shekels 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
the Lord 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
[ ^70 J
XVIII] JUDGES
inlieritance to dwell in ; for unto that day all their in-
heritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes
of Israel. And the children of Dan sent of their fa-
mily five men from their coasts, 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: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the
house of Micah, they lodged there. When they vv^ere
by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the
young man the Levite : and they turned in thither, and
said unto him. Who brought thee hither? and what
makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
And he said unto them. Thus and thus dealeth Mi-
cah with me, and hath hired me, and I am 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 the Lord is your way wherein
ye go.
Then the five men departed, and came to Laish,
and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt
careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and
secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that
might put them to shame in any thing ; and they were
far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any
man. And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and
[ 771 ]
JUDGES [XVIII
Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say
ye? And they said, Arise, that we may 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 to possess the land. When ye go, ye shall come
unto a people secure, and to a large land : for God hath
given it into your hands ; a place where there is no
want of any thing that is in the earth.
And there went from thence of the family of the
Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hun-
dred men appointed with weapons of war. And they
went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah:
wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan unto
this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim. And they
passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto
the house of Micah.
Then answered the five men that went to spy out
the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren,
Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod,
and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten im-
age ? now therefore consider what ye have to do. And
they turned thitherward, and came to the house of
the young man the Levite, even unto the house of
Micah, and saluted him. And the six hundred men
appointed with their weapons of war, which were of
the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.
L 772 J
XVIII] JUDGES
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 im-
age : and the priest stood in the entering of the gate
with the six hundred men that were appointed with
weapons of war. And these went into Micah's house,
and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the te-
raphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest
unto them. What do ye.? And they said unto him.
Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and
go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it bet-
ter for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man,
or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in
Israel.? And the priest's heart was glad, and he took
the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image,
and went in the midst of the people. So they turned
and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle
and the carriage before them.
And 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 ye are gone
[ T73 ]
JUDGES [XIX
away : and what have I more ? and what is this that ye
say unto me. What aileth thee? And the children of
Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among
us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose
thy life, with the lives of thy household. And the chil-
dren 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 the things
which Micah had made, and the priest which he had,
and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet
and secure : and they smote them with the edge of the
sword, and burnt the city with fire. And there was no
deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they
had no business with any man ; and it was in the val-
ley that lieth by Beth-rehob. And they built a 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 the graven image :
and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manas-
seh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan
until the day of the captivity of the land. And 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
[ 774 ]
XIX] JUDGES
no king in Israel, tliat there was a certain Levitc so-
journing on the side of mount Ephraini, who took
to hiini a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah. And his
concubine played the whore against him, and went
away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-
judah, and was there four whole months. And her
husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly
unto her, and 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, when they
arose early in the morning, that he rose up to de-
part: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law,
Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and af-
terward go your way. And they sat down, and did eat
and drink both of them together: for the damsel's fa-
ther had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee,
and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. And
when the man rose up to depart, his father in law
urged him: therefore he lodged there again. And he
arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart:
and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I
[ 775 ]
JUDGES [XIX
pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they
did eat both of them. And when the man rose up to
depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his fa-
ther in law, the damsel's father, said unto him. Be-
hold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray
you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an
end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry ; and
to morrow get you early on your way, that thou may-
est go home. But the man would not tarry that night,
but he rose up and departed, and came over against
Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him
two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
And 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 in into this city of the Jebusites,
and lodge in it. And his master said unto him. We
will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger,
that is not of the children of Israel ; we will pass over
to Gibeah. And he said unto his servant, Come, and
let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all
night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah. And they passed on
and went their way; and the sun went down upon
them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth
to Benjamin. And they turned aside tliitlier, to go in
and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he
sat him down in a street of the city: for there was
[ 776 ]
'AiNO HKHOM) liOAZ CAMIC FKUM HKTHI.KHEM, AND SAIl
IJNT<J THK KKAI'KKS, 'I IlK I.OKI) HE WITH VOr." — Rtllll
xixi JUDGES
no man tliat took them into his house to lodging.
And, behold, there came an old man from Iiis work
out of the field at even, which was also of mount
Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men
of the place were Benjamites. And when he had lifted
up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of
thie city: and the old man said, Wliither goest thou?
and whence comest thou? And he said unto him, We
are passing from Beth-lehem-judah toward the side
of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to
Beth-lehem-judah, but I am now going to the house
of the Lord ; and there is no man that receiveth me
to 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 which
is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
And the old man said. Peace be with thee; howso-
ever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in
the street. So he brought him into his house, and gave
provender unto the asses : and they washed their feet,
and did eat and drink.
Now as they were making their hearts merry,
behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, be-
set the house round about, and beat at the door, and
spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying.
Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that
I [ 777 ] 2ii2
JUDGES [XIX
we may know him. And the man, the master of the
house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay,
m}^ brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly;
seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not
this folly. Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and
his concubine ; them I will bring out now, and hum-
ble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good un-
to you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. But
the men would not hearken to him: so the man took
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 down at the door of
the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
And he said unto her. Up, and let us be going. But
none answered. Then the man took her up upon an
ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
And when he was come into his house, he took a
knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her,
together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent
her into all the coasts of Israel. And it was so, that
[ 778 ]
XX] JUDGES
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 of it.
take advice, and speak your minds.
Then all the children of Israel went out, and the
congregation was gathered together as one man, from
Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, un-
to the Lord in Mizpeh. And the chief of all the peo-
ple, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented them-
selves in the assembly of the people of God, four
hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. (Now
the children of BenjamJn heard that the children of
Israel were gone up to Mizpeh. ) Then said the chil-
dren of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness .f*
And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was
slain, answered and said, I cam^e into Gibeah that be-
longeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset
tlie house round about upon me by night, and thought
to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced,
that she is dead. And I took my concubine, and cut
her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the coun-
try of the inheritance of Israel : for they have com-
mitted lewdness and folly in Israel. Behold, ye are all
children of Israel ; give here your advice and counsel.
And all the people arose as one man, saying. We
[ 779 ]
JUDGES [XX
will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any
of us turn into his house. But now this shall be the
thing which we will do to Gibeah ; we will go up by
lot against it ; and we will take ten men of an hundred
throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of
a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to
fetch vi6lual for the people, that they may do, when
they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all
the folly that they have wrought in Israel. So all the
men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit to-
o^ether as one man.
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the
tribe of Benjamin, saying. What wickedness is this
that is done among you ? Now therefore deliver us
the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah,
that we may put them to death, and put away evil
from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not
hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of
Israel: but the children of Benjamin gathered them-
selves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go
out to battle against the children of Israel. And the
children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out
of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew
sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were
numbered seven hundred chosen men. Among all
this people there were seven luindred cliosen men
[ 780 ]
XX] JUDGES
lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair
breadth, and not miss. And the men of Israel, beside
Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand
men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
And the children of Israel arose, and went up to
the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said.
Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the
children of Benjamin ? And the Lord said, Judah shall
go up first. And the children of Israel rose up in the
morning, and encamped against Gibeah. And the men
of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin ; and the
men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against
them at Gibeah. And the children of Benjamin came
forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground
of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand
men. And the people the men of Israel encouraged
themselves, and set their battle again in array in the
place where they put themselves in array the first
day. (And the children of Israel went up and wept
before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the
Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the
children of Benjamin my brother ? And the Lord said,
Go up against him. ) And the children of Israel came
near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah
the second day, and destroyed down to the ground
[ ^81 ]
JUDGES [XX
of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men ;
all these drew the sword.
Then all the children of Israel, and all the people,
went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept,
and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day
until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace of-
ferings before the Lord. And the children of Israel en-
quired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of
God was there in those days, and Phinehas, the son
of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those
days, ) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against
the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?
And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will de-
liver them into thine hand. And Israel set liers in wait
round about Gibeah. And the children of Israel went
up against the children of Benjamin on the third day,
and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at
other times. x\nd the children of Benjamin went out
against the people, and were drawn away from the
city ; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as
at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth
up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in
the field, about thirty men of Israel. And the children
of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us,
as at the first. But the children of Israel said. Let us
flee, and draw them from the city unto the highv^ays.
[ 782 ]
XX] JUDGES
And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place,
and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the
liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places,
even out of the meadows of Gibeah. And there came
against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Is-
rael, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that
evil was near them. And the Lord smote Benjamin
before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed
of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand
and an hundred men: all these drew the sword. So
the. children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten :
for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites,
[because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they
had set beside Gibeah. And the liers in wait hasted,
and rushed upon Gibeah ; and the liers in wait drew
themselves along, and smote all the city with the
edge of the sword. Now there was an appointed sign
between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that
they should make a great flame with smoke rise up
out of the city. And when the m.en of Israel retired
in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of
the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said,
Surel}^ they are smitten down before us, as in the
first battle. But when the flame began to arise up out
of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites
looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the
[ 783 ]
JUDGES [XXI
city ascended up to heaven. And when the men of Is-
rael turned again , the men of Benj amin were amazed :
for they saw that evil was come upon them. There-
fore they turned their backs before the men of Israel
unto tlie way of the wilderness ; but the battle over-
took them ; and them which came out of the cities
they destroyed in the midst of them. Thus they in-
closed the Benjamites round about, and chased them,
and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah
toward the sunrising. And there fell of Benjamin eigh-
teen thousand men ; all these were men of valour. And
they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the
rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the
highways five thousand men ; and pursued hard after
them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of
them. So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were
twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword ;
all these were men of valour. But six hundred men
turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rim-
mon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
And the men of Israel turned again upon the children
of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the
sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast,
and all that came to hand : also they set on fire all the
cities that they came to.
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, say-
[ ^«4 ]
XXI] JUDGES
ing, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto
Benjamin to wife. And the people came to the house
of God, and abode there till even before God, and
lifted up their voices, and wept sore; and said,0 Lord
God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that
there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
And it can.ie to pass on the morrow, that the people
rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings. And the children of Is-
rael said, Who is there among all the tribes of Is-
rael that came not up with the congregation unto the
Lord ? For they had made a great oath concerning
him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpeh, saying.
He shall surely be put to death. And the children of
Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and
said. There is one tribe cut off' from Israel this day.
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, see-
ing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give
them of our daughters to wives .^
And they said, What one is there of the tribes of
Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord ? And,
behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-
gilead to the assembly. For the people were num-
bered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabit-
ants of Jabesh-gilead there. And the congregation
sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest,
[ '8.5 ]
JUDGES [XXI
and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the in-
habitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword,
with the women and the children. And this is the
thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every
male, and every woman that hath lain by man. And
they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead
four hundred young virgins, that had known no man
by lying with any male: and they brought them unto
the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
And the whole congregation sent some to speak to
the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rim-
mon, and to call peaceably unto them. And Benjamin
came again at that time; and they gave them wives
which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-
gilead : and yet so they sufficed them not. And the
people repented them for Benjamin, because that the
Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
y/Then the elders of the congregation said, How
shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing
the women are destroyed out of Benjamin ? And they
said, There must be an inheritance for them that be
escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed
out of Israel. Howbeit we may not give them wives of
our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn,
saying. Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
Then they said. Behold, there is a feast of the Lord
[ T86 ]
XXI] JUDGES
in Shiloli yearly in a place which is on the north side
of Beth-el. on the east side of the highway that go-
etli lip from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of
Lehoriah. Therefore they commanded the children
of Benjamin, saying. Go and lie in wait in the vine-
yards; and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shi-
loli come out to dance in dances, then come ye out
of the vine^/ards, and catch you every nian his wife
of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Ben-
jamin. And it shall be, when their fathers or their
brethren come unto us to complain, that we w^ill say
unto them. Be favourable unto them for our sakes:
because w^e reserved not to each man his wife in the
war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that
ye should be guilty. And the children of Benjamin
did so, and took them wives, according to their num-
ber, of them that danced, whom they caught: and
they went and returned unto their inheritance, and
repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.
And the children of Israel departed thence at that
time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and
tliey went out from thence every man to his inherit-
ance. In those days there was no king in Israel: every
man did ^hat which was right in his own eyes.
[ 787 ]
THE BOOK OF
RUTH
NOW it came to pass in the days when the judges
ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And
a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn
in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two
sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and
the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his
two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-le-
hem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab,
and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband
died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they
took them wives of the women of Moab ; the name
of the one was Or pah, and the name of the other
Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And
Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them ; and the
woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she
might return from the country of Moab : for she had
heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had
visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore
she went forth out of the place where she was, and
her two daughters in law with her; and they went
on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And
Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, re-
[ 789 ]
RUTH [I
turn each to her mother's house : the Lord deal kindly
with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with
me. The LA)rd grant you that ye may find rest, each
of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed
them ; and the}^ lifted up their voice, and wept. And
they said unto her. Surely we will return with thee
unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my
daughters : why will ye go with me .'^ are there yet any
more sons in my womb, that they may be your hus-
bands.? Turn again, my daughters, go your way ; for
I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I
have hope, if I should have an husband also to night,
and should also bear sons ; would ye tarry for them
till tliey were grown } would ye stay for them from
having husbands.'^ nay, my daughters ; for it grieveth
me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord
is gone out against me. And they lifted up their voice,
and wept again : and Orpah kissed her mother in law ;
but Ruth clave unto her. And she said. Behold, thy
sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto
her gods: return thou after thy sister in law^ And
Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return
from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I
will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy
people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be bur-
[ '790 ]
II] RUTH
ied: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought
but death part thee and me. When slie saw that she
was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left
speaking unto her.
So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem.
And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-
lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and
they said, Is this Naomi .^ And she said unto them,
Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty
hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and
the Lord hath brought me home again empty : why
then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified
against me, and the Almighty hath affli6led me ? So
Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess,her daugh-
ter in law, with her, which returned out of the coun-
try of Moab : and they came to Beth-lehem in the be-
ginning of barley harvest.
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a
mighty man of wealth , of the family of Elimelech ; and
his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto
Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of
corn after him in whose sight i shall find grace. And
she said unto her. Go, my daughter. And she went,
and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers:
and her hap was to light on a part of the field belong-
ing unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
[ ^^Jl ]
RUTH [II
And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and
said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And
they answered him. The Lord bless thee. Then said
Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers.
Whose damsel is this.^ And the servant that was set
over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moab-
itish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the
country of Moab: and she said, I pray you, let me
glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves :
so she came, and hath continued even from the morn-
ing until now, that she tarried a little in the house.
Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my
daughter .^^ Go not to glean in another field, neither
go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and
go thou after them : have I not charged the young
men that they shall not touch thee .^ and when thou art
athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which
the young men have drawn. Then she fell on her
face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto
him. Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou
shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stran-
ger ? And Boaz answered and said unto her. It hath
fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto
thy mother in law since the death of thine husband :
and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and
[ 79Je ]
II] RUTH
the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people
which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord re-
compense thy work, and a full reward be given thee
of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou
art come to trust. Then she said. Let me find favour
in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted
me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine
handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine hand-
maidens. And Boaz said unto her. At mealtime come
thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel
in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and
he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and
was sufficed, and left. And when she was risen up to
glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying. Let
her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her
not : and let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose
for her, and leave them, that she may glean them,
and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until
even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was
about an ephah of barley.
And she took it up, and went into the city : and her
mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she
brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved
after she was sufficed. And her mother in law said
unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day ? and where
wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take know-
[ 793 ]
RUTH [III
ledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law
with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's
name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. And Na-
omi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of
the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the liv-
ing and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The
man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
And Ruth the Moabitess said. He said unto me also.
Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they
have ended all my harvest. x\nd Naomi said unto Ruth
her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou
go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in
any other field. So she kept fast by the maidens of
Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of
wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her. My
daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may
be well with thee.^ And now is not Boaz of our kin-
dred, with whose maidens thou wast ? Behold, he win-
noweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. Wash
thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy rai-
ment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but
make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall
have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when
he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where
he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his
L 794 ]
Ill] RUTH
feet, and lay tliee down ; and he will tell thee what
thou shalt do. And she said unto her, All that thou
sayest unto me I will do.
And she went down unto the floor, and did accord-
ins: to all that her mother in law bade her. And when
Boaz had eaten, and drunk, and his heart was merry,
he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn :
and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid
her down.
And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was
afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay
at his feet. And he said. Who art thou.^ And she an-
swered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore
thy skirt over thine handmaid ; for thou art a near
kinsman. And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord,
my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness
in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as
thou folio wedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
And now, my daughter, fear not: I will do to thee
ail that thou requirest: for all the city of my people
doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now
it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there
is a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry this night, and it
shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto
thee the part of a kinsman, well ; let him do the kins-
man's part: but if he will not do the part of a kins-
[ T'SS ]
I
RUTH [IV
man to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to
thee, as the Lord liveth: lie down until the m.orn-
ing.
And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she
rose up before one could know another. And he said,
Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee,
and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six
measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went
into the city. And when she came to her mother in
law, she said. Who art thou, my daughter.^ And she
told her all that the man had done to her. And she
said. These six measures of barley gave he me; for
he said to me. Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know
how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in
rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down
there : and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake
came by; unto whom he said. Ho, such a one! turn
aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat
down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city,
and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. And
he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again
out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land,
which was our brother Elimelech's: and I thought to
[ 796 ]
IV] RUTH
advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants,
and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt re-
deem it, redeem it : but if thou wilt not redeem it,
then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to
redeem it beside thee ; and I am after thee. And he
said, I will redeem it. Then said Boaz, What day thou
buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy
it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead
to raise up the name of the dead upon his inherit-
ance. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for
myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou
my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel
concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for
to confirm all things ; a man plucked off his shoe, and
gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in
Israel.
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for
thee. So he drew off his shoe. And Boaz said unto the
elders, and unto all the people. Ye are witnesses this
day, that 1 have bought all that was Elimelech's, and
all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of
Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of
Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up
the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the
name of the dead be not cut off from among his bre-
[ 797 ]
I
RUTH [IV
thren,and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses
this day. And all the people that were in the gate, and
the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make
the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel
and like Leah, which two did build the house of Is-
rael: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be fa-
mous in Beth-lehem: and let thy house be like the
house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of
the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young
woman.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when
he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception,
and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi,
Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day
without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in
Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy
life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daugh-
ter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee
than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took tlie
child, and laid it in her bosom, and becam.e nurse
unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a
name, saying. There is a son born to Naomi; and
they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse,
the father of David.
Now these are the generations of Pharez : Pharez
begat Hezron, and Hczron begat Ram, and liam
[ "798 ]
ivj RUTH
begat Amminadab, and Amminadab begat Nahshon,
and Nahshon begat Sahiion, and Salmon begat Boaz,
and Boaz begat Obed , and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse
begat David.
[ 799 ]
THE FIRST BOOK OF
SAMUEL
OTHERWISE CALLED
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS
NOW there was a certain man of Ramathaim-
zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was
Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the
son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: and he
had two wives ; the name of the one was Hannah,
and the name of the other Peninnah : and Peninnah
had children, but Hannah had no children. And this
man went up out of his city yearly to worship and
to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the
two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of
the Lord, were there.
And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he
gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and
her daughters, portions: but unto Hannah he gave a
worthy portion ; for he loved Hannah : but the Lord
had shut up her womb. And her adversary also pro-
voked her sore, for to make her fret, because the
Lord had shut up her womb. And as he did so year
by year, wlien she went up to the house of the Lord,
so she provoked her ; therefore she wept, and did not
eat. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah.
I [ 801 ] 2c
I. SAMUEL [I
why weepest thou ? and why eatest thou not ? and why
is thy heart grieved ? am not I better to thee than ten
sons ?
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh,
and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat up-
on a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord. And she
was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord,
and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O
Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affli6lion
of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not for-
get thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine hand-
maid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord
all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come
upon his head. And it came to pass, as she continued
praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
Now Hannah, she spake in her heart ; only her lips
moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli
thoughtshe had been drunken. And Eli said unto her.
How long wilt thou be drunken ? put away thy wine
from thee. And Hannah answered and said. No, my
lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk
neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out
my soul before the Lord. Count not thine handmaid
for a daughter of Belial : for out of the abundance of
my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then
Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of
[ 80^ J
I] I. SAMUEL
Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of
him. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in
thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat,
and her countenance was no more sad.
And they rose up in the morning early, and wor-
shipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to
their house to Ramah : and Elkanah knew Hannah
his wife ; and the Lord remembered her. Wherefore
it came to pass, when the time was come about after
Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called
his name Samuel, saying. Because I have asked him
of the Lord. And the man Elkanah, and all his house,
went up to otfer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice,
and his vow. But Hannah went not up; for she said
unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be
weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may ap-
pear before the Lord, and there abide for ever. And
Elkanah her husband said unto her,Dowhatseemeth
thee good ; tarry until thou have weaned him ; only
the Lord establish his word.Sothevv^oman abode, and
gave her son suck until she weaned him.
And when she had weaned him, she took him up
with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour,
and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house
of the Lord in Shiloh : and the child was young. And
they slew a bullock , and brought the child to Eli. And
[ 808 J
I
I. SAMUEL [II
she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am
the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the
Lord. For this child I prayed ; and the Lord hath given
me my petition which I asked of him: therefore also
I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he
shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord
there.
And Hannah prayed, and said,
My heart rejoiceth in the Lord,
Mine horn is exalted in the Lord:
My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;
Because I rejoice in thy salvation.
There is none holy as the Lord :
For there is none beside thee:
Neither is there any rock like our God.
Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth:
For the Lord is a God of knowledge.
And by him a6lions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty men are broken.
And they that stumbled are girded with strength.
They that were full have hired out themselves for
bread ;
And they that were hungry ceased:
So that the barren hath born seven ;
And she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
[ 80^ ]
II] I. SAMUEL
The Lord killeth, and maketh alive:
He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich:
He bringeth low, and lifteth up.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,
And lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill,
To set them among princes,
And to make th.em inherit the throne of glory :
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
And he hath set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of his saints,
And the wicked shall be silent in darkness ;
For by strength shall no man prevail.
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to
pieces ;
Out of heaven shall he thunder upon them :
The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth ;
And he shall give strength unto his king.
And exalt the horn of his anointed.
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the
child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they
knew not the Lord. And the priest's custom with the
people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the
priest's servant came, while the f^esh was in seeth-
ing, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; and
[ 80.5 ]
I. SAMUEL [II
he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot ;
all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for
himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites
that came thither. Also before they burnt the fat, the
priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacri-
ficed. Give flesh to roast for the priest ; for he will not
have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. And if any man
said unto him. Let them not fail to burn the fat pre-
sently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth;
then he would answer him. Nay ; but thou shalt give
it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. Where-
fore the sin of the young men was very great before
the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a
child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mo-
ther made him a little coat, and brought it to him from
year to year, w^hen she came up with her husband to
offer the yearly sacrifice.
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said,
The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan
which is lent to the Lord. And they went unto their
own home. And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she
conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters.
And the child Samuel grew before the I^rd.
Now Eli was very old, and heard all tliat his sons
did unto all Israel ; and how they lay with the women
[ 806 ]
II] I. SAMUEL
that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. And he said unto them, Why do ye
such things ? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this
people. Nay, my sons ; for it is no good report that I
hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. If one
man sin against another, the judge shall judge him:
but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat
for him ? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto
the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay
them. And the child Samuel grew on, and was in fa->
vour both with the Lord, and also with men.
And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said un-
to him. Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear un-
to the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt
in Pharaoh's house ? and did I choose him out of all the
tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine al-
tar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me ? and
did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings
made by fire of the children of Israel ? Wherefore
kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which
I have commanded in my habitation; and honour-
est thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with
the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people ?
Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed
that thy house, and the house of thy father, should
walk before me for ever : but now the Lord saith. Be
[ 807 ]
I. SAMUEL [III
it far from me; for them that honour me I will ho-
nour, and they that despise me shall be lightly es-
teemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cutoffthine
arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there
shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt
see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which
God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old
man in thine house for ever. And the man of thine,
whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to
consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and
all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower
of their age. And this shall be a sign unto thee, that
shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phine-
has; in one da}^ they shall die both of them. And I
will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do accord-
ing to that which is in mine heart and in my mind :
and I will build him a sure house ; and he shall walk
before mine anointed for ever. And it shall come to
pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall
come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a
morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee,
into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece
of bread.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord
before Eli. And the word of the Lord was i)recious
in those days ; there was no open vision. And it came
[ 808 ]
Ill] I. SAMUEL
to pass at tliat time, when Eli was laid down in his
place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could
not see; and ere the lamp of God went out in the
temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and
Samuel was laid down to sleep; that the Lord called
Samuel: and he answered. Here am L And he ran
unto Eli, and said. Here am I; for thou calledst me.
And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he
went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again,
Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said,
Here am I ; for thou didst call me. And he answered,
I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel
did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of
the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called
Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went
to Eli, and said. Here am I; for thou didst call me.
And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and
it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say. Speak,
Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and
lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and stood,
and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then
Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a
thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one
that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform
I. SAMUEL [III
against Eli all things which I have spoken concern-
ing his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
For I have told him that I will judge his house for
ever for the iniquity which he knoweth ; because his
sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them
not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of
Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged
with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the
doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared
to shew Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and
said, Samuel, my son. And he answered. Here am L
And he said. What is the thing that the Lord hath
said unto thee ? I pray thee hide it not from me : -God
do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing
from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And
Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from
him. And he said, It is the Lord: let himdowhatseem-
eth him good.
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and
did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all
Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Sa-
muel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And
the Lord appeared again in Shiloh : for the Lord re-
vealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of
the Lord.
[ »10 ]
IV] I. SAMUEL
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. 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 Philistines : 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 the Lord
smitten us to day before the Philistines.? Let us fetch
the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto
us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us
out of the hand of our enemies. So the people sent to
Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of
the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth be-
tween the cherubims:and the two sons of Eli,Hophni
and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the cove-
nant of God. And when the ark of the covenant of
the Lord 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 the Lord 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
[ 811 ]
I. SAMUEL [IV
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 the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, and
quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be
not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to
you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten,
and they fled every man into his tent: and there was
a very great slaughter ; for there fell of Israel thirty
thousand footmen. And the ark 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 toShiloh the same day with his clothes rent,
and with earth upon his head. And when he came,
lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching : for
his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the
man came into the city, 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.? And
the man came in hastily, and told Eli. Now Eli was
ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim,
that he could not see. And the man said unto Eli, I
am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day
out of the army. And he said, What is there done,
[ 8152 J
V] I. SAMUEL
my son? And the messenger answered and said, Is-
rael is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been
also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two
sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, 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
ofl the 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 law, Phinehas' wife, was with
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 travailed ; 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 born a
son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory
is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was
taken, and because of her father in law and her hus-
band. And she said. The glory is departed from Is-
rael: for the ark of God is taken.
And the Philistines took the ark of God ,and brought
it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod. When the Philistines
took the ark of God, they brought it into the house
of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
[ «13 ]
I. SAMUEL [V
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the mor-
row, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the
earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Da-
gon, and set him in his place again. And when they
arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon
was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark
of the Lord ; and the head of Dagon and both the
palms of his hands were 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 day. But the hand of the Lord was
heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them,
and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the
coasts thereof. And when the men of Ashdod saw that
it was so, they said. The ark of the God of Israel shall
not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and
upon Dagon our god. They sent therefore and ga-
thered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and
said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Is-
rael.^ 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 the
Lord was against the city with a very great destruc-
tion: and he smote the men of the city, both small
[ 814 ]
VI] I. SAMUEL
and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And
it came to pass, as tlie ark of God came to Ekron, that
tlie Ekronites cried out, saying, They have hrought
about tlie ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us
and our peo))le. So they sent and gathered together
all the lords of the Philistines, and said. Send away the
ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own
place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there
was a deadly destru6lion throughout all the city ; the
hand of God was very heavy there. And the men that
died not were smitten with the emerods : and the cry
of the city went up to heaven.
And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the
Philistines seven months. And the Philistines called
for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we
do to the ark of the Lord .? tell us wherewith we shall
send it to his place. And they said, If ye send away
the ark of the God of Israel, send it not em.pty ; but in
any wise return him a trespass offering : then ye shall
be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand
is not removed from you. Then said they, What shall
be the trespass offering which we shall return to
him } They answered. Five golden emerods, and five
golden mice, according to the number of the lords of
the Philistines : for one plague was on you all, and on
[ 815 ]
I. SAMUEL [VI
your lords. Wherefore ye shall make images of your
emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land ;
and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel : per-
ad venture 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 Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had
wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let
the people go, and they departed.? Now therefore
make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which
there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart,
and bring their calves home from them : and take the
ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the
jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass
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 his own coast to Beth-shemesh, then he hath
done us this great evil: 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 laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and
the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of
their emerods. And the kine took the straight way to
the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the high-
[ 816 ]
VI] I. SAMUEL
way, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the
right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philis-
tines went after them unto the border of Beth-she-
mesh. 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, a Beth-shemite,
and stood there, where there was a great stone: and
they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine
a burnt offering unto the Lord. And the Levites took
down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with
it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on
the great stone : and the men of Beth-shemesh offered
burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day
unto the Lord. And when the five lords of the Phi-
listines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same
day. And these are the golden emerods which the
Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the
Lord ; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one,for Askelon one,
for Gath one, for Ekron one ; and the golden mice,
according to the number of all the cities of the Philis-
tines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities,
and of country villages, even unto the great stone of
Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord:
which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Jo-
shua, the Beth-shemite.
[ «1T ]
I. SAMUEL [VII
And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because
they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he
smote of the people fift}^ thousand and threescore and
ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord
had smitten many of the people with a great slaugh-
ter. And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able
to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom
shall he go up from
us
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of
Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought
again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch
it up to you.
And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched
up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house
of Abinadab in the hill, and san6lified Eleazar his son
to keep the ark of the Lord. And it came to pass,
while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time
was long ; for it was twenty years : and all the house
of Israel lamented after the Lord.
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, say-
ing. If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts,
then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from
among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord,
and serve him only : and he will deliver you out of
the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Is-
rael did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served
[ 818 ]
VII] I. SAMUEL
the Lord only. And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to
Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord. And
they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water,
and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that
day, and said there. We have sinned against the Lord.
And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
And when the Philistines heard that the children of
Israel w^ere gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords
of the Philistines w^ent up against Israel. And when
the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the
Philistines. And the children of Israel said to Samuel,
Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that
he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for
a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord : and Samuel
cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard
him. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offer-
ing, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel :
but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that
day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and
they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Is-
rael went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines,
and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Miz-
peh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer,
saying. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
[ «19 ]
I. SAMUEL [VIII
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came
no more into the coast of Israel : and the hand of the
Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Sa-
muel. And the cities which the Philistines had taken
from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even
unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver
out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was
peace between Israel and the Amorites. And Samuel
judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went
from year toyear in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal,and
Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. And his
return was to Ramah ; for there was his house ; and
there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar
unto the Lord.
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that
he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name
of his firstborn was Joel ; and the name of his second,
Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons
walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre,
and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all
the elders of Israel gathered themselves together,
and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him.
Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy
ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the
nations.
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said,
[ 8J20 ]
VIII] I. SAMUEL
Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto
the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken
unto tlie voice of the people in all that they say unto
thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have
rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Ac-
cording to all the works which they have done since
the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even
unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and
served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now
therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet pro-
test solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner
of the king that shall reign over them.
And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the
people that asked of him a king. And he said, This
will be the manner of the king that shall reign over
you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for
himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen ; and
some shall run before his chariots. And he will ap-
point him captains over thousands, and captains over
fifties; and will set them to car his ground, and to
reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war,
and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your
daughters to be confe6lionaries, and to be cooks, and
to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your
vineyards , and your oli vey ards , even the best of th em ,
and give them to his servants. And he will take the
[ 8iiJl ]
I. SAMUEL [IX
tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give
to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take
your menservants, and your maidservants, and your
goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them
to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep:
and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in
that day because of your king which ye shall have
chosen you ; and the Lord will not hear you in that
day.
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice
of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a
king over us; that we also may be like all the na-
tions; and that our king may judge us, and go out
before us, and fight our battles. And Samuel heard
all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them
in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel,
Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.
And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every
man unto his city.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name
was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son
of Bechorath,the son of Aphiah,a Benjamite, a mighty
man of power. And he had a son, whose name was
Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there
was not among the children of Israel a goodlier per-
son than he: from his shoulders and upward he was
[ 822 J
IX] I. SAMUEL
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 mount Ephra-
im, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they
found them not: then they passed through the land
of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed
through the land of the Benjamites, but they found
them not. And 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 an honourable man ; all that he saith cometh
surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure
he can shew us our way that we should 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 ves-
sels, 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,! have here at 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 enquire of God, thus he spake. Come,
and let us go to the seer : for he that is now called a
Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) Then said
[ 823 ]
I. SAMUEL [IX
Saul to his servant, Well said ; come, let us go. So they
went unto the city where the man of God was.
And as they went up the hill to the city, they found
young maidens going out to draw water, and said un-
to them, Is the seer here? And they answered them,
and said. He is ; behold, he is before you: make haste
now, for he came to day to the city ; for there is a sa-
crifice of the people to day 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 about this time
ye shall find him. And they went up into the city : and
when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel
came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day be-
fore Saul came, saying. To morrow about this time I
will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and
thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people
Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand
of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people,
because their cry is come unto me. And when Samuel
saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man
whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over
my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the
[ «^4< ]
ixi I. SAMUEL
gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's
house is. And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am
the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for
ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow 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 tliy mind on them ; for they are found. And
on whom is all the desire of Israel : Is it not on thee,
and on 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 fa-
milies of the tribe of Benjamin ? wherefore then speak-
est thou so to me ? And Samuel took Saul and his ser-
vant, and brought them into the parlour, 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 shoulder, and that which was upon
it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold
that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for un-
to this time hath it been ke})t for thee since I said, I
have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel
that day.
And when they w^ere come down from the liigh
place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon
[ 825 ]
I. SAMUEL [X
the top of the house. And they arose early: and it
came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel
called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that
I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they
went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. And
as they were going down to the end of the city, Sa-
muel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us,
(and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that
I may shew thee the word of God.
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon
his head, and kissed him, and said. Is it not because
the Lord hath ano:i"*.ted thee to be captain over his in-
heritance ? When thou art departed from me to day,
then thou shalt find two men by RacheFs 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 sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I
do for my son r Then shalt thou go on forward from
thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and
there shall meet thee three men going up to God to
Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carry-
ing 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
hands. After that thou shalt come to the hill of God,
[ 826 ]
X] I. SAMUEL
where is the garrison of the Philistines : and it shall
come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city,
that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming
down from the high place with a psaltery, and a ta-
bret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them ; and they
shall prophesy : and the Spirit of the Lord will come
upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and
shalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when
these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as oc-
casion serve thee; for God is with thee. And thou
shalt go down before me to Gilgal ; and, behold, I will
come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and
to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings : seven days
shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee
what thou shalt do.
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. And when they
came thither to the hill, behold, a company of pro-
phets met him ; and the Spirit of God came upon him,
and he prophesied among them. And it came to pass,
v.'hen all that knev/ him beforetime saw that, behold,
he prophesied among the prophets, then the people
said one to another. What 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. But
[ 827 ]
I
I. SAMUEL [X
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.
Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses:
and when we saw that they were no where, we came
to Samuel. And 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 were found.
But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel
spake, he told him not.
And Samuel called the people together unto the
Lord to Mizpeh; and said unto the children of Israel,
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Is-
rael out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand
of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms,
and of them that oppressed you : and ye have this day
rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all
your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have
said unto him, Nay , but set a king over us. Now there-
fore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes,
and by your thousands. And when Samuel had caused
all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Ben-
jamin was taken. When he had caused the tribe of
Benjamin to come near by their families, the family
[ 828 ]
XI] I. SAMUEL
of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was
taken: and when they sought him, he could not be
found. Therefore they enquired of the Lord further,
if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord an-
swered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
And they ran and fetched him thence : and when he
stood among the people, he was higher than any of
the people from his shoulders and upward. And Sa-
muel said to all the people. See ye him whom the Lord
hath chosen, that there is none like him among all
the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God
save the king. Then Sairiuel told the people the man-
ner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid
it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people
away, every man to his house.
And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there
went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had
touched. But the children of Belial said. How shall
this man save us? And they despised him, and brought
him no presents. But he held his peace.
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and en-
camped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Ja-
besh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and
we will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite an-
swered them, On this condition will I make a cove-
nant with you, that I may thrust out all your right
[ 829 ]
I. SAMUEL [XI
eyes, and 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
coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save
us, we will come out to thee.
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saulj and
told the tidings in the ears of the people : and all the
people lifted up their voices, and wept. And, behold,
Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul
said, What aileth the people that they weep.^ And
they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. And
the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those
tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. And he
took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and
sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the
hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not
forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done
unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the peo-
ple, and they came out with one consent. And when
he numbered them in Bezek, the children 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, To morrow, by thattime the sun be hot, ye shall
have lielp. And the messengers came and shewed it
to the men of Jabesh ; and they were glad. Therefore
[ 830 J
XII] I. SAMUEL
the men of Jabesh said, To moi row we will come out
unto 3 ou, and ye sb.all 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 host in the morning watch, and
slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it
came to pass, that they which remained were scat-
tered, so that two of them were not left together.
And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that
said. Shall Saul reign over us ? bring the men, that we
Tnay put them to death. And Saul said, There shall not
a man be put to death this day : for to day the Lord
hath wrought salvation in Israel. Then said Samuel
to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and re-
new the kingdom there. And all the people went to
Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the
Lord in Gilgal ; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of
peace offerings before the Lord ; and there Saul and
all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have
hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me,
and have made a king over you. And now, behold,
the king walketh before you: and I am old and gray-
headed; and, behold, my sons are with you: and 1
have walked before you from my childhood unto this
day. Behold, here I am: witness against me before
[ 831 J
I. SAMUEL [XII
the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I
taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I
defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or of whose hand
have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes there-
with? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou
hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast
thou taken ought of any man's hand. And he said
unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his
anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found
ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
And Samuel said unto the people. It is the Lord
that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought
your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now there-
fore stand still, that I may reason with you before the
Lord of all the righteous a6ls of the Lord, which he
did to you and to your fathers. When Jacob was come
into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, then
the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth
your fathers out of Eg3^pt, and made them dwell in
this place. And when they forgat the Lord their God,
he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the
host of Hazor,and into the hand of the Philistines, and
into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought
against them. And they cried unto the Lord, and said,
We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord,
and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now de-
[ «32 ]
r
XII] I. SAMUEL
liver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will
serve thee. And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan,
and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out
of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye
dwelled safe. And when ye saw that Nahash the king
of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said
unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when
the Lord your God was your king. Now therefore be-
hold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye
have desired! and, behold, the Lord hath set a king
over you. If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and
obey his voice, and not rebel against the command-
ment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king
that reigneth over you continue following the Lord
your God : but if ye will not obey the voice of the
Lord , but rebel against the commandment of the Lord ,
then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it
was against your fathers. Now therefore stand and see
this great thing, which the Lord will do before your
eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to day ? I will call unto
the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain ; that ye
may perceive and see that your wickedness is great,
which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in ask-
ing you a king.
So Samuel called unto the Lord ; and the Lord sent
thunder and rain that day : and all the people greatly
I [ 833 ] ^jo
I. SAMUEL [XIII
feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said
unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy
God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our
sins this evil, to ask us a king.
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye
have done all this wickedness : yet turn not aside from
following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your
heart; and turn ye not aside: for then should ye go
after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver ; for
they are vain. For the Lord will not forsake his peo-
ple for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased
the Lord to make you his people. Moreover as for
me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in
ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good
and the right way : only fear the Lord, and serve him
in truth with all your heart: for consider how great
things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do
wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your
king.
Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned
two years over Israel, Saul chose him three thousand
men of Israel ; whereof two thousand were with Saul
in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand
were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the
rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. And
Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that
[ 834 ]
XIII] I. SAMUEL
was in Gcba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Said
blew the trumpet througliout all the land, saying, Let
the Hebrews hear. And all Israel heard say that Saul
had smitten a garrison of the Pliilistines, and that Is-
rael also was had in abomination with the Philistines.
And the people were called together after Saul to
Gilgal.
And the Philistines gathered themselves together
to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six
thousand horsemen , and people as the sand which is
on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up,
and pitched in Miclimash, eastward from 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 high places, and in pits. And some of the He-
brews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gi-
lead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the
people followed him trembling.
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 a burnt offering to me,
and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offer-
ing. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made
an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel
[ 835 ]
I. SAMUEL [XIII
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 earnest not within the days ap-
pointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves
together at Michmash; therefore said I, The Philis-
tines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I
have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced
myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And
Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou
hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God,
which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord
have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord
hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the
Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his peo-
ple, because thou hast not kept that which th.e Lord
commanded thee. And Samuel arose, and gat him up
from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul num-
bered 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
Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in
Michmash.
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Phi-
[ 836 ]
XIV] I. SAMUEL
listines in three companies: one company turned un-
to the way that leadeth to Ophrah,unto the land of
Shual : and another company turned the way to Beth-
horon: and anotlier company turned to the way of
the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim to-
ward the wilderness.
Now ihere was no smith found throughout all the
land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the He-
brews make them swords or spears: but all the Israel-
ites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every
man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his
mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and
for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes,
and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass in the
day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear
found in the hand of any of the people that were with
Saul and Jonathan : but with Saul and with Jonathan
his son Vv^as there found. And the garrison of the Phi-
listines went out to the passage of Michmash.
Now it cam.e to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the
son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his ar-
mour. Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' gar-
rison, that is on the other side. But he told not his fa-
ther. And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah
under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and
the people that were with him were about six hun~
[ 837 ]
I. SAMUEL [XIV
dred men; and Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I-chabod's
brother, the son of Phinehas,the son of Eli, the Lord's
priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people
knew not that Jonathan was gone.
And between the passages, by which Jonathan
sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there
was a sharp rock on the one side^ and a sharp rock on
the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez,
and the name of the other Seneh. The forefront of the
one was situate northward over against Michmash,
and the other southward over against Gibeah. And
Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour.
Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these
uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for
us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by
many or by few. And his armourbearer said unto
him. Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold,
I am with thee according to thy heart. Then said Jo-
nathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these 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 the Lord hath delivered them into our
hand: and this shall be a sign unto us. And both of
them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the
[ 838 ]
XIV] I. SAMUEL
Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the He-
brews come fortli out of the holes where they had hid
themselves. And the men of the garrison answered
Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up
to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan
said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for
the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel,
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon
his feet, and his armourbearer after him : and they fell
before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after
him. x^nd that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his
armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within
as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen
might plow. And there v/as trembling in the host, in
the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and
the spoilers, they also trembled , and the earth quaked :
so it was a very great trembling. And the watchmen
of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold,
the multitude melted away, and they went on beating
down one another. Then said Saul unto the people
that were with him , Number now, and see who is gone
from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jona-
than and his armourbearer were not there. And Saul
said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For
the ark of God was at that time with the children of
Israel.
[ 839 ]
I. SAMUEL [XIV
And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the
priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Phi-
listines went on and increased : and Saul said unto the
priest, Withdraw thine hand. And Saul and all the
people that were with him assembled themselves,
and they came to the battle : and, behold, every man's
sword was against his fellow, and there was a very
great discomfiture. Moreover the Hebrews that were
with the Philistines before that 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 mount
Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled,
even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
So the Lord saved Israel that day : and the battle passed
over unto Beth-aven.
And the men of Israel were distressed that day:
for Saul had adjured the people, saying. Cursed be
the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may
be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people
tasted any food. And all they of the land came to a
wood ; and there was honey upon the ground. And
when the people were come into the wood, behold,
the honey dropped ; but no man put his hand to his
mouth: for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan
[ 8'^^ ]
XIV] I. SAMUEL
heard not when his father charged the people with
the oath : wherefore lie put forth the end of the rod
that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb,
and put his hand to his mouth ; and his eyes were en-
lightened. Then answered one of the people, and said.
Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath,
saying. Cursed be the man tliat eateth any 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 1 tasted a
little of this honey. How much more, if haply the peo-
ple had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies
which they found } for had there not been now a much
greater slaughter among the Philistines.? And they
smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Ai-
jalon : 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 the Lord, in that they eat with the blood.
And he said, Ye have transgressed : roll a great stone
unto me this day. And Saul said. Disperse yourselves
among the people, and say unto them. Bring me hither
every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay
them here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in
I [ 841 ] ^d2
I. SAMUEL [XIV
eating with the hlood. And all the people brought
every man his ox with him that night, and slew them
there. And Saul built an altar unto the Lord : the same
was the first altar that he built unto the Lord.
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 they said, Do
whatsoever seemeth good unto tliee. Then said the
priest, Let us draw near hither imto God. And Saul
asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Phi-
listines ? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Is-
ra el ? But he answered him not that day. And Saul said ,
Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people : and
know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. For,
as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be
in Jonathan my son, he shall 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 my son will be on the other side. And
the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good un-
to thee. Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Is-
rael, Give a perfe6l lot. And Saul and Jonathan were
taken: but the people escaped. And Saul said. Cast
lots between me and Jonathan m}^ son. And Jonathan
was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what
thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I
[ «42 J
XIV] I. SAMUEL
did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod
that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die. And Saul
answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt
surely die, Jonathan. And the people said unto Saul,
Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great sal-
vation in Israel ? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there
shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground ; for
he hath wrought with God this day. So the people
rescued Jonathan, that he died not. Then Saul went
up from following the Philistines : and the Philistines
went to their own place.
So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought
against all his enemies on every side, against Moab,
and against the children of Ammon , and against Edom,
and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philis-
tines: and whithersoever he turned himself,he vexed
them. And he gathered an host, and smote the Ama-
lekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them
that spoiled them. Now the sons of Saul were Jona-
than, and Ishui, and Melchi-shua : and the names of
his two daughters were these ; the name of the first-
born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:
and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam,the daugh-
ter of Ahimaaz : and the name of the captain of his
host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. And
Kish was the father of Saul ; and Ner the father of
[ 843 ]
I. SAMUEL [XV
Abner was the son of Abiel. And there was sore war
against the Philistines all the days of Saul : and when
Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took
him unto him.
Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to
anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel : now
therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words
of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remem-
ber that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait
for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all
that they have, and spare them not; but slay both
man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep,
camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people toge-
ther, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred
thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
And Saul came to a city of Amalek. and laid wait in
the valley.
And Saul said unto the Kenites,Go,depart,getyou
down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you
with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children
of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the
Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And
Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou
comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he
took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and ut-
[ 844 ]
I
XV] I. SAMUEL
terly destroyed all the people with the edge of the
sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the
best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fat-
lings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would
not utterly destroy them : but every thing that was vile
and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, say-
ing, Itrepenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king:
for he is turned back from following me, and hath
not performed my commandments. And it grieved
Samuel ; and he cried unto the Lord all night. And
when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning,
it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Car m el, and,
behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and
passed on , and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came
to Saul: and Saul said unto him. Blessed be thou of
the Lord : I have performed the commandment of the
Lord. And Samuel said. What meaneth then this bleat-
ing of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the
oxen which I hear .^ And Saul said, They have brought
them from the Amalekites : for the people spared the
best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the
Lord thy God ; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee
what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said
unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, When thou wast
[ 845 ]
I. SAMUEL [XV
little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head
of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee
king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a jour-
ney, and said. Go and utterly destroy the sinners the
Amalekites, and fight against them until they be con-
sumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice
of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst
evil in the sight of the Lord ? And Saul said unto Sa-
muel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and
have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have
brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly
destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the
spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which
should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto
the Lord thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said. Hath
the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sa-
crifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord.'* Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than
the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witch-
craft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Be-
cause thou hast reje6f:ed the word of the Lord, he
hath also reje6led thee from being king.
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I
have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and
thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed
their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my
[ 846 ]
XV] I. SAMUEL
sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the
Ijord. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return
with thee : for thou hast rejedled the word of the Lord ,
and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over
Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he
laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And
Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the king-
dom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it
to a neighbour of thme, that is better than thou. And
also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent : for
he is not a man, that he should repent. Then he said,
I have sinned : yet honour me now, I pray thee, before
the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn
again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.
So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul wor-
shipped the Lord.
Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the
king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him de-
licately. And Agag said. Surely the bitterness of death
is past. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made
women childless, so shall thy mother be childless
among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces
before the Lord in Gilgal.
Then Samuel went to Ramah ; and Saul went up
to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no
more to see Saul until the day of his death: neverthe-
[ «47 ]
I. SAMUEL [XVI
less Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented
that he had made Saul king over Israel.
And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt
thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have reje6led him from
reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go,
I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite : for I have
provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said.
How can I go ? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And
the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am
come to sacrifice to the Lord. And call Jesse to the sa-
crifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and
thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto
thee. And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and
came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trem-
bled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably ?
And he said. Peaceably : I am come to sacrifice unto
the Lord: san6lify yourselves, and come with me to
the sacrifice. And he sandlified Jesse and his sons, and
called them to the sacrifice.
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he
looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed
is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look
not on his countenance, or on the height of his sta-
ture ; because I have refused him : for the Lord seeth
not as man seeth ; for man looketh on the outward ap-
pearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Then
[ 848 J
XVI] I. SAMUEL
Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Sa-
muel. And he said. Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said.
Neither hath the I^rd chosen this. Again, Jesse made
seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel
said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And
Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children.^
And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and,
behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto
Jesse, Send and fetch him : for we will not sit down
till he come liither. And he sent, and brought him in.
Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful coun-
tenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said,
Arise, anoint him : for this is he. Then Samuel took
the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his
brethren : and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Da-
vid from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and
went to Ramah.
But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and
an evil spirit from the Lord 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 an harp: and it shall
come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon
thee, that he shall play with his hand, and tliou shalt
[ 849 ]
I. SAMUEL [XVII
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 servants, and said, Behold,
I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is
cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a
man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely
person, and the Lord is with him.
Wherefore 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 ar-
mourbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying. Let Da-
vid, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found
favour in my sight. And it came to pass, v/hen the
evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took
an harp, and played with his hand : so Saul was re-
freshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed
from him.
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies
to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh,
which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Sho-
choh and Azekah,in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and
the men of Lsrael were gathered together, and pitched
by the valley of Elah,and setthe battlein array against
[ 850 ]
XVII] I. SAMUEL
the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a moun-
tain on x\w. one side, and Israel stood on a 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. And he had an helmet of
brass upon his head, and he was armed 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 target 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 one bearing a shield 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 to 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 day ; give me a man, that we may fight to-
gether. When Saul and all Israel heard those words
of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly
afraid.
Now David was the son of that Ephrathiteof Beth-
[ 851 ]
I. SAMUEL [XVII
lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had
eight sons : and the man went among men for an old
man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of
Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle : and the
names of his three sons that went to the battle were
Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and
the third Shammah. And David was the youngest:
and the three eldest followed Saul. But David went
and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at
Beth-lehem. And the Philistine drew near morning
and evening, and presented himself forty days. And
Jesse said unto David his son. Take now for thy bre-
thren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten
loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren ; and carry
these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand,
and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were
in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
And David rose up early in the morning, and left
the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse
had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as
the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for
the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the
battle in array, army against army. And David left
his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage,
and ran into the army, and came and saluted his bre-
[ «52 J
XVII] I. SAMUEL
thren. And as he talked witli them, behold, there came
up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by
name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake
according to the same words : and David heard them.
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man,
fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of
Israel said. Have ye seen this man that is come up?
surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be,
that the ip,an who killeth him, the king will enrich
him with great riches, and v/ill give him his daughter,
and make his father's house free in Israel. And Da-
vid spake to the men that stood by him, saying. What
shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine,
and taketh away the reproach from Israel ? for who is
this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the
armies of the living God.? And the people answered
him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to
the man that killeth him.
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake
unto the men ; and Eliab's anger was kindled against
David, and he said. Why earnest thou down hither.?
and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the
wilderness .? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of
thine heart ; for thou art come down that thou might-
est see the battle. And David said, What have I now
done ? Is there not a cause ? And he turned from him
[ 853 ]
I. SAMUEL [XVII
toward another, and spake after the same manner:
and the people ansv/ered him again after the former
manner. And when the words were heard which Da-
vid spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he
sent for him.
And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail be-
cause of him ; thy servant will 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 youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his fa-
ther's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and
took a lamb out of the flock : and I went out after him,
and smote him, and delivered 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 slew both
the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philis-
tine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the
armies of the living God. David said moreover. The
Lord 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 the Lord be with thee.
And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put
an helmet of brass upon his head ; also he armed him
v/ith a coat of mail. And David girded his sword up-
[ 854 ]
XVII] I. SAMUEL
on his armour, and he assayed 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 a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a
scrip; and his shng was in his hand: and he drew near
to the Philistine. And the Philistine 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 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,
Comie to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls
of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said Da-
vid to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword,
and v.'ith a spear, and with a shield: but I come to
thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the
armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day
will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand ; and I will
smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will
give the carcases 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
[ 85.5 ]
I. SAMUEL [XVII
in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the
Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle
is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. And
it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came
and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and
ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And Da-
vid put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone,
and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead,
that the stone sunk into his forehead ; and he fell up-
on 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. Therefore David ran, and stood
upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it
out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut ofFhis
head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their
champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel
andof Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Phi-
listines, until thou come to the valley , 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 Philistines, and they spoiled their
tents. And David took the head of the Philistine, and
brought it to Jerusalem ; but he put his armour in his
tent.
[ 856 ]
XVIII] I. SAMUEL
And when Saul saw David go forth against the
Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host,
Abner, whose son is this youth ? And Abner said. As
thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. And the king
said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is. And as
David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine,
Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with
the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said
to him. Whose son art thou, thou young man.^ And
David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse
the Beth-lehemite.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of
speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit
with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his
own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let
him go no more home to his father's house. Then Jo-
nathan and David made a covenant, because he loved
him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself
of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David,
and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow,
and to his girdle.
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him,
and behaved himself wisely : and Saul set him over
the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of
all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
And it came to pass as they came, when David was
[ 857 ]
I. SAMUEL [XVIII
returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the
women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and
dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy,
and with instruments of musick. And the women an-
swered one another as they played, and said,
Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.
And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased
him ; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten
thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thou-
sands: and what can he have more but the kingdom ?
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil
spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied
in the midst of the house: and David played with his
hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in
Saul's hand. And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I
will smite David even to the wall with it. And David
avoided out of his presence twice.
And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord
was with him, and v/as departed from Saul. Therefore
Saul removed him from him, and made him his cap-
tain over a thousand ; and he went out and came in be-
fore the people. And David behaved himself wisely in
all his ways; and the Lord was with him. Wherefore
[ 858 ]
I
XVIII] I. SAMUEL
when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely,
he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved
David, because he went out and came in before them.
And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter
Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou
valiant for me, and fight the Lord's battles. For Saul
said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand
of the Philistines be upon him. And David said unto
Saul, Who am I ? and what is my life, or my father's fa-
mily in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king ?
But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's
daughter should have been given to David, that she
was given unto x\driel the Meholathite to wife. 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 Philistines may be against him.
Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be
my son in law in the one of the twain.
And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Com-
mune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king
hath delight in thee, 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 a
king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and
[ 859 J
I. SAMUEL [XIX
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 dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philis-
tines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul
thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philis-
tines. And w^hen his servants told David these words,
it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and
the days were not expired. Wherefore David arose
and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines
two hundred men ; and David brought their foreskins,
and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he
might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him
Michal his daughter to wife.
And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with
David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
And Saul was yet the more afraid of David ; and Saul
became David's enemy continually. Then the princes
of the Philistines went forth : and it came to pass, af-
ter they went forth, that David behaved himself more
wisely than all the servants of Saul ; so that his name
was much set by.
And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, -and to all his
servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan
Saul's son delighted much in David : and Jonatb.an told
David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee:
[ 860 ]
XIX3 I. SAMUEL
now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until
the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thy-
self: and I will go out and stand beside my father in
the field where thou art, and I will commune with my
fiither of thee ; and what I see, that I will tell thee.
And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his
father, and said unto him. Let not the king sin against
his servant, against David ; because he hath not sinned
against thee, and because his works have beentothee-
vvard very good : for he did put his life in his hand, and
slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great sal-
vation for all Israel : thou sawest it, and didst rejoice:
wherefore then v;ilt thou sin against innocent blood,
to slay David without a cause? And Saul hearkened
unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware. As the
Lord liveth,he shall not be slain. And Jonathan called
David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things.
And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in
his presence, as in tim.es past.
And there was war again: and David went out,
and fouo[ht with the Philistines, and slew them with a
great slaughter ; and they fled from him. And the evil
spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his
house witvh his javelin in his hand: and David played
with his hand. And Saul sought to smite David even
to the wall with the javelin : but he slipped away out
[ «61 ]
I. SAMUEL [XIX
of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the
wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. Saul
also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch
him, and to slay him in the morning : and Michal Da-
vid's wife told him, saying. If thou save not thy life
to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
So Michal let David down through a window : and
he went, and fled, and escaped. And Michal took an
image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats'
hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. And
when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said,
He is sick. And Saul sent the messengers again to see
David, saying. Bring him up to me in the bed, that I
may slay him. And when the messengers were come
in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pil-
low of goats' hair for his bolster. And Saul said unto
Michal,Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away
mine enemy , that he is escaped ? And Michal answered
Saul, He said unto me. Let me go ; why should I kill
thee ?
So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel
to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him.
And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. And
it was told Saul, saying. Behold, David is at Naioth
in Ramah. And Saul sent messengers to take Da-
vid : and when they saw the company of the prophets
[ 862 ]
XX] I. SAMUEL
prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over
them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of
Saul, and they also prophesied. And when it was told
Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied
likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third
time, and they prophesied also. Then went he also to
Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu : and
he asked and said. Where are Samuel and David ? And
one said. Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. And
he went thither to Naioth in Ramah : and the Spirit of
God was upon him also, and he went on, and pro-
phesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he
stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Sa-
muel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day
and all that night. Wherefore they say. Is Saul also
among the prophets ?
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came
and said before Jonathan, What have I done.? what is
mine iniquity ? and what is my sin before thy father,
that he seeketh my life? And he said unto him, God
forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do
nothing either great or small, but that he will shew
it me: and why should my father hide this thing from
me .'^ it is not so. And David sware moreover, and said.
Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace
in thine eyes ; and he saith. Let not Jonathan know
[ 863 ]
I. SAMUEL [XX
this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth,
and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me
and death. Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatso-
ever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. And
David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow 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 at all
miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me
that he might run to Beth-lehem his city : for there is a
yearly sacrifice there for all the family. If he say thus.
It is well ; thy servant shall have peace : but if he be
very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by
him. Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy ser-
vant ; for thou hast brought thy servant into a cove-
nant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, 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 knew certainly 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 ? or what if thy father answer thee
roughly .?
And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us
go out into the field. And they went out both of them
into the field. And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord
[ 864 J
XX] I. SAMUEL
God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about
to morrow any time, or the third da}^ and, behold, if
there be good toward David, and I then send not unto
thee, and shew it thee ; the Lord do so and much more
to Jonathan : but if it please my father to do thee evil,
then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou
mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he
hath been with my father. And thou shalt not only
while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord,
that I die not: but also thou shalt not cut off thy kind-
ness from my house for ever: no, not when the Lord
hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the
face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with
the house of David, saying. Let the Lord even re-
quire it at the hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan
caused David to swear again, because he loved him:
for he loved him as he loved his own soul. Then Jona-
than said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and
thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
And when thou hast stayed three days, then 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 a lad, saying. Go,
find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad,
I [ 865 ] i^E
I. SAMUEL [XX
Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them ;
then come thou : for there is peace to thee, and no hurt ;
as the Lord liveth. But if I say thus unto the young
man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee ; go thy way :
for the Lord hath sent thee away. And as touching the
matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the
Lord be between thee and me for ever.
So David hid himself in the field : and when the
new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat
meat. And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times,
even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose,
and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was
empty. Nevertheless Saul spake not any 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, which was the second day of the
month, 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 to day ? 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 hatli 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. There-
fore he Cometh not unto the king's table. Then Saul's
[ «f>^ ]
XX] I. SAMUEL
anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto
him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do
not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to
thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy
mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse
liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be establislied,
nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him
unto me, for he shall surely die. And Jonathan an-
swered Saul his father, and said unto him. Wherefore
shall he be slain ? what hath he done ? And Saul cast a
javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew
that it was detennined of his father to slay David. 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 Da-
vid, and a little lad with him. And he said unto his
lad. Run, find out 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
[ 867 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXI
his master. But the lad knew not any thing : only Jo-
nathan and David knew the matter. And Jonathan
gave his artillery 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 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 the Lord, saying. The Lord 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 was afraid at the meeting of David,
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 m.e. Let no man know any thing of the busi-
ness whereabout I send thee, and what I have com-
manded thee: and I have appointed my servants to
such and such a place. Now therefore what is under
thine hand ? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand,
or what there is present. And the priest answered Da-
vid, and said, There is no common bread under mine
[ 8(JS ]
XXI] I. SAMUEL
hand, but there is hallowed bread ; if the young men
have kept themselves at least from women. And Da-
vid answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth
women have been kept from us about these three
days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young
men are hol}^ and the bread is in a manner common,
yea, though it were san6lified this day in the ves-
sel. So the priest gave him hallowed bread : for there
was no bread there but the shewbread, that was ta-
ken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day
when it was taken away. Now a certain man of the
servants of Saul was there that day, detained before
the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an 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 valley 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 it me.
And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul,
and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the ser-
vants of Achish said unto him. Is not this David the
[ 869 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXII
king of the land ? did they not sing one to another of
him in dances, saying,
Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands?
And David laid up these words in his heart, and was
sore afraid of Achish the kingof Gath. And he changed
his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad
in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate,
and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said
Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad:
wherefore then have ye brought him to me? Have I
need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to
play the mad man in my presence ? shall this fellow
come into my house?
David therefore departed thence, and escaped to
the cave Adullam : and when his brethren and all his
father's house heard it, they went down thither to
him. And every one that was in distress, and every
one that was in debt, and every one that was discon-
tented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became
a captain over them : and there were with him about
four hundred men. ....^^ri; j^i^p ^;.^^.( ;
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and
he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my
mother, I pr^y thee, come forth, and be with jj^ou, till
XXII] I. SAMUEL
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.
x^nd the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not
in the hold ; depart, and get thee into the land of Ju-
dah. Then David departed, and came into the forest
ofHareth.
When Saul heard that David was discovered, and
the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gi-
beah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his
hand, and all his servants were standing about him ; )
then 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, and make you
all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds ;
that all of you have conspired against me, and there
is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a
league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you
that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son
hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait,
as at this day ?
Then answ^ered Doeg the Edomite, which was set
over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of
Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahi-
tub. And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave
him vi6luals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the
[ «~i J
I. SAMUEL [XXII
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, and a sword, and hast enquired of God
for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait,
as at this day.? Then Ahimelech answered the king,
and said. And who is so faithful among all thy ser-
vants as David, whichis the king's son in law, and go-
eth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house.?
Did I then begin to enquire of God for him .? be it far
from me : let not the king impute any thing unto his
servant, nor to all the house of my father : for thy ser-
vant knew nothing of all this, less or more. And the
king said,Thoushalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and
all thy father's house.
And the king said unto the footmen that stood about
him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord ; because
their hand also is with David, and because they knew
when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the ser-
vants of the king would not put forth their hand to
fall upon the priests of the I^rd. And the king said to
Doeg,Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg
[ 87J^ ]
XXIII] I. SAMUEL
the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and
slew on that day fourscore and five persons tliat did
wear a linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the priests,
smote he with the ecU^e 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 Ahi-
tub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the
Lord's priests. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew
it 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: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
Then they told David, saying. Behold, the Philis-
tines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-
floors. Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying,
Shall I go and smite these Philistines .^ And the Lord
said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save
Keilah. And David's men said unto him, Behold, v/e
be afraid here in Judah : how much more then if we
come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines.^
Then David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the
Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Kei-
lah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand,
I [ 873 ] 2k2
I. SAMUEL [XXIII
So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought
with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and
smote 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 Kei-
lah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
And it was told Saul that David was come to Kei-
lah. 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 called all the people
together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege Da-
vid and his men.
And David knew that Saul secretly pra6lised mis-
chief against him ; and he said to Abiathar the priest,
Bring hither the ephod. Then said David,0 Lord God
of Israel, thy servant hath certainly 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 Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant.
And the Lord said. He will come down. Then said
David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my
men into the hand of Saul ? And the Lord said. They
will deliver thee up.
Then David and his men, which were about six
hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went
[ 874 ]
XXIII] I. SAMUEL
whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul
that David was escaped from Keilah ; and he Ibrbare
to go forth. And David abode in the wilderness in
strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wil-
derness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but
God delivered him not into his hand. And David saw
that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David vv^as
in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David
into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And
he said unto him , Fear not : for the hand of Saul my
father shall not find thee ; and thou shalt be king over
Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also
Saul my father knoweth. And they two made a cove-
nant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood,
and Jonathan went to his house.
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, say-
ing, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong
holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on
the south of Jeshimon ? Now therefore, O king, come
down according to all the desire of thy soul to come
down : and our part shall be to deliver him into the
king's hand. And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord ;
for ye have compassion on me. Go, I pray you, pre-
pare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt
is , and who hath seen him there : for it is told me that he
[ «^5 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXIV
dealeth very subtilly. See therefore, and take know-
ledge of all the lurking places where he hideth him-
self, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and
I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be
in the land, that I will search him out throughout all
the thousands of Judah. And they arose, and went to
Ziph before Saul : but David and his men were in the
wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Je-
shimon. Saul also and his men went to seek him. And
they told David : wherefore he came down into a rock,
and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul
heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness
of Maon. And Saul went on this side of the moun-
tain, and David and his men on that side of the moun-
tain : and David made haste to get away for fear of
Saul ; for Saul and his men compassed David and his
men round about to take them.
But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying,
Haste thee, and come ; for the Philistines have invad-
ed the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing
after David, and went against the Philistines: there-
fore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
And David went up from thence, and dwelt in
strong holds at En-gedi.
And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from
following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying,
[ 87G J
xxivi I. Sx\MUEL
Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. Then
Saul took three thousand chosen men out ot all Israel,
and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks
of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes by
the way, where was a cave ; and Saul went in to cover
his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides
of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, Be-
hold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold,
I will deliver thine enemy into thijie hand, that thou
mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then
David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe pri-
vily. And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart
smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And
he said unto his men. The Lord forbid that I should
do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to
stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the
anointed of the Lord. So David stayed his servants
with these words, and suffered them not to rise against
Saul. But Saul rose up out of tlie cave, and went on his
way. David also arose afterward, and went out of the
cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king.
And when Saul looked behind him , David stooped with
his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou
men's words, saying, Behold, David seek eth thy hurt.?
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the
[ «T7 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXIV
Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the
cave: and some bade me kill thee : but mine eye spared
thee ; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against
my lord ; for he is the Lord's anointed. Moreover, my
father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand :
for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed
thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil
nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned
against thee ; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The
Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge
me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. As
saith the proverb of the ancients. Wickedness pro-
ceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not
be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come
out.? after whom dost thou pursue.? after a dead dog,
after a flea. The Lord therefore be judge, and judge
between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause,
and deliver me out of thine hand.
'And it came to pass, when David had made an end
of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said. Is
this thy voice, my son David.? And Saul lifted up liis
voice, and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more
righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good,
whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast
shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with
me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me
[ 878 j
XXV] I. SAMUEL
into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find
his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore
the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done
unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that
thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of
Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now
therefore unto me by tlie Lord, that thou wilt not cut
off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy
my name out of my father's house. And David sware
unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his
men gat them up unto the hold.
And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were ga-
thered together, 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 very great, and he had three thousand
sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his
sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Na-
bal ; and the name of his wife Abigail : and she was
a woman of good understanding, 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 wilderness that Nabal
did shear his sheep. And David sent out ten young
men, and David said unto the young men. Get you
[ 879 ]
i. SAMUEL [XXV
up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my
name : and thus shall ye say to him that liveth in pro-
sperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine
'house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And now
I have heard that thou hast shearers : now thy shep-
lierds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither
was there ought missing unto them, all the while they
were in Carmel. Ask thy young men, and they vv^ill
shew 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 ser-
vants, 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 my bread, and my
water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shear-
ers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence
they be .^ So David's young men turned their way, and
went again, and came and told him all those sayings.
And David said unto his men. Gird ye on every man
his sword. And they girded on every man his sword ;
and David also girded on his sword : and there went
!!p after David about four hundred men ; andtwohun-
[ 880 ]
XXV] I. SAMUEL
dred abode by the stuff.
But one of tlie 3'oung men told Abigail, Nabal's
wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of
the wilderness to salute our master ; and he railed on
them. But the men were very good unto us, and we
were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long
as we were conversant with them, when we were in
the fields : they were a wall unto us both by night and
day, all the while vv^e were with them keeping the
sheep. Now therefore know and consider what thou
wilt do ; for evil is determined against our master, and
against all his household : for he is such a son of Belial,
that a man cannot speak to him.
Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred
loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready
dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an
iiundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of
figs, and laid them on asses. And she said unto her
servants, Go on before me ; behold, I come after you.
But she told not her husband Nabal. And it was so,
as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the
covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men
came down against her; and she met them. Now Da-
vid had said, Surely in vain have I kept all tliat this
fellow hath in the vvilderness, so that nothing was
missed of all that pertained unto him : and he hath re-
[ 881 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXV
quited me evil for good. So and more also do God un-
to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain
to him by the morning light any that pisseth against
the wall. And when Abigail saw David, she hasted,
and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her
face, and bowed herself to the ground, and fell at his
feet, and said. Upon me, my lord, upon me let this
iniquity be: and let thine handmaid,! pray thee, speak
in thine audience, and hear the words of thine hand-
maid. Let not my 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 hand-
maid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou
didst send. Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liv-
eth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath with-
holden thee from coming to shed blood, and from
avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine
enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as
Nabal. And now this blessing which thine handmaid
hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto
the young men that follow my lord. I pray thee, for-
give the trespass of thine handmaid : for the Lord will
certainly make my lord a sure house; because my
lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil liatli not
been found in thee all thy days. Yet a man is risen
to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of
[ 882 ]
XXV] I. SAMUEL
my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the
Lord thy God ; and the souls of thine enemies, them
shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. And
it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done
to my lord according to all the good that he hath
spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed
thee ruler over Lsrael : that this shall be no grief unto
thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that
thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath
avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt
well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord
God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:
and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which
hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and
from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in
very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, v/hich
hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou
hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had
not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any
that pisseth against the wall. So David received of her
hand that which she had brought him, and said unto
her. Go up in peace to thine house ; see, I have heark-
ened 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
[ 883 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXV
heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk-
en: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more,
until the morning light. But it came to pass in the
morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and
his wife had told him these things, that his heart died
within him, and he became as a stone. And it came to
pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal,
that he died.
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he
said. Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause
of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept
his servant from evil : for the Lord hath returned the
wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David
sent and communed with 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 sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the
earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a ser-
vant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And
Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with
five damsels of hers that went after her ; and she went
after the messengers of David, and became his wife.
David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were
also both of them his wives.
But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's
[ 884 ]
XXVI] I. SAMUEL
wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.
And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, say-
ing, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachi-
lah, which is before Jeshimon ? Then Saul arose, and
went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three
thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek Da-
vid in the v/ilderness of Ziph. And Saul pitched in the
hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way.
But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that
Saul came after him into the wilderness. David there-
fore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come
in very deed.
x\nd 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 in the trench, and the people pitched
round about him. Then answered David and said to
Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Ze-
ruiah, 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, behold, Saul lay sleeping within
the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his
bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about
him. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered
thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore
[ HH5 ]
I. SAxMUEL [XXVI
let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to
the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second
time. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not:
for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's
anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore.
As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his
day shall come to die ; or he shall descend into battle,
and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth
mine hand against the Lord's anointed : but, I pray
thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster,
and the cruse of water, and let us go. So David took
the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster;
and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor
knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep;
because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon
them.
Then David went over to the other side, and stood
on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being be-
tween them: and David cried to the people, and to
Abner the son of Ner, saying, 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 Is-
rael ? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the
king.? for there came one of the people in to destroy
the king thy lord. This thing is not good that thou
[ 886 ]
xxvij I. SAMUEL
hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die,
because ye have not kept your master, the Lord's
anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and
the cruse of water that was at his bolster. And Saul
knew David's voice, and said. Is this thy voice, my
son David.? And David said. It is my voice, my lord,
O king. And he said. Wherefore doth my lord thus
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 the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him
accept an offering : but if they be the children of men,
cursed be they before the Lord ; for they have driven
me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the
Lord, saying. Go. serve other gods. Now therefore,
let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of
the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a
flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the moun-
tains.
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son Da-
vid: fori will no more do thee harm, because my soul
was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have
played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. And
David answered and said. Behold the king's spear!
and let one of the young men come over and fetch
it. The Lord render to every man his righteousness
[ 887 ]
[. SAMUEL [xxvii
and his faithfulness : for the Lord delivered thee into
my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine
hand against the Lord's anointed. And, behold, as thy
life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my
life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let
him deliver me out of all tribulation. Then Saul said
to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt
both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So
David went on 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 speedily escape into the land of
the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek
me any more in any coast of Israel : so shall I escape
out of his hand. And David arose, and he passed over
with the six hundred men that were with 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, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Car-
melitesSjNabal's wife. And it was told Saul that Da-
vid was fled to Gath : and he sought no more again
for him.
And David said unto Achish, If I have now found
grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some
town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why
[ 888 ]
XXVIII] I. SAMUEL
should thy servant dwoll in the royal city with thee?
Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day : wherefore
Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this
day. And the time that David dwelt in the country
of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
And David and his men went up, and invaded the
Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites : for
those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land,
as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
And David smote the land, and left neither man nor
woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen,
and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and
returned, and came to Achish. And Achish said, Whi-
ther have ye made a road to day.? 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 neitherman nor woman alive,
to bring tidings to Oath, saying. Lest they should tell
on us, saying. So did David, and so will be his man-
ner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Phi-
listines. And Achish believed David, saying, He hath
made his people Israel utterly to abhor him ; there-
fore he shall be my servant for ever.
And it came to pass in those days, that the Philis-
tines gathered their armies together for warfare, to
fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know
[ 889 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXVIII
thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to
battle, thou and thy men. And David said to Achish,
Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And
Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee
keeper of mine head for ever.
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 greatly
trembled. And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the
Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by
Urim, nor by prophets.
Then said Saul unto his servants. Seek me a woman
that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and
enquire of her. And his servants said to him. Behold,
there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other rai-
ment, and he went, and two men with him, and they
came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee,
divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me
liim up, whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman
said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath
[ 890 ]
XXVIII] I. SAMUEL
done, how he hath cut ofFthose that have familiar spi-
rits, 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 the Lord, saying, As the
Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee
for this thing. Then said the woman. Whom shall
I bring up unto thee? And he said. Bring me up Sa-
muel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried
with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, sa}^-
ing. Why hast thou deceived me.^ for thou art Saul.
And the king said unto her. Be not afraid : for what
sawest thou ? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw
gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her.
What form is he of? And she said. An old man com-
eth up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul
perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his
face to the ground, and bowed himself,
'y 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 un-
to me what I shall do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore
then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed
from thee, and is become thine enemy ? And the Lord
[ «91 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXVIII
hath done to him , as he spake by me : for the Lord hath
rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy
neighbour, even to David : because thou obeyedst not
the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath
upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing
unto thee this day. Moreover the Lord will also de-
liver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines :
and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me :
the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the
hand of the Philistines. Then Saul fell straightway
all along on 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 obeyed 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 hand-
maid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee;
and eat, that thou may est have strength, when thou
goest on thy way. But he refused, and said, I will not
eat. But his servants, together with the woman, com-
pelled him ; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he
arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. And the
[ 892 ]
XXIX] I. SAMUEL
woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted,
and killed it, and 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 ar-
mies to Aphek : and the Israelites pitched by a foun-
tain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines
passed on by hundreds, and by thousands : but David
and his men passed on in the rereward 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 David, 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 unto me unto this day ? And the princes of
the Philistines were wroth with him ; and the princes
of the Philistines said unto him. Make this fellow re-
turn, that he may go again to his place which thou
hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us
to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us:
for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his
master .f* should it not be with the heads of these men ?
Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another
in dances, saying,
[ 893 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXX
Saul slew his thousands,
And David his ten thousands?
Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely,
as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy go-
ing out and thy coming in with me in the host is good
in my sight : for I have not found evil in thee since the
day of thy coming unto me unto this day : neverthe-
less the lords favour thee not. Wherefore now return,
and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of
the Philistines.
And David said unto Achish, But what havel done.^*
and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I
have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go
fight against the enemies of my lord the king ? And
Achish answered and said to David, I knov/ that thou
art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwith-
standing the princes of the Philistines have said, He
shall not go up with us to the battle. Wherefore now
rise up early in the morning with thy master's ser-
vants that are come with thee : and as soon as ye be uj)
early in the morning, and have light, depart. So Da-
vid and his men rose up early to depart in the morn-
ing, 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
[ 894 ]
XXX] I. SAMUEL
come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites
had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Zik-
lag, and burned it with fire; and had taken the women
captives, that were tlierein : they slew not any, either
great or small, but carried them away, and went on
their way.
So David and his men came to the city, and, behold,
it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their
sons, and their daugliters, 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 two wives were taken captives,
Aliinoam the Jezreelitess,and Abigail the wife of Na-
bal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed ;
for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul
of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons
and for his daughters : but David encouraged himself
in the Lord his God. And David said to Abiathar the
priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither
the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod
to David. And David enquired at the Lord, saying,
Shall I pursue after this troop .^ shall I overtake them ^
And he answered him. Pursue: for thou shalt surely
overtake them, and without fail recover all. So Da-
vid went, he and the six hundred men that were with
him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that
[ 89.5 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXX
were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and
four hundred men : for two hundred abode behind,
which were so faint that tliey could not go over the
brook Besor.
And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought
him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and
they made him drink water ; 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 be-
longest 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 an invasion upon the south of the Che-
rethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Ju-
dah, and upon the south of Caleb ; and we burned Zik-
lag with fire. And David said to him, Canst thou bring
me down to this company.? And he said, Swear unto
me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver
me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee
down to this company.
And when he had brought him down, behold, they
were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and
drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil
that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines,
XXX] I. SAMUEL
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 rode upon camels, and
fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites
had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.
And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small
nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil,
nor any thing that they had taken to them: David
recovered all. And David took all the flocks and the
herds, which 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
they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and
they went forth to meet David, and to meet the peo-
ple 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 will not give them ought of the spoil that we have
recovered, save to every man his wife and his chil-
dren , that they may lead them away , and depart. Then
said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that
which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved
us, and delivered the company that came against us
I [ 897 ] 21.-
I. SAMUEL [XXXI
into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this
matter ? but as his part is that goeth down to the bat-
tle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they
shall part 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,even to his friends, say-
ing, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the ene-
mies of the Lord ; to them which were in Beth-el, and
to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them
which were in Jattir,and to them which were in Aroer,
and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them
which were in Eshtemoa, and to them which were in
Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the
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 Chor-ashan, and to them
which were in Athach, and to them which were in He-
bron, 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 fied 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 Abinadab,and Melchi-
[ 898 ]
XXXI] I. SAMUEL
shua, Saul's sons. And the battle went sore against
Saul, and the archers hit hian ; and he was sore wounded
of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer,
Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith;
lest these uncircumcised come and thrustme through,
and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for
he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and
fell upon it. And when his armourbearer saw that
Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and
died with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and
his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day to-
gether.
And when the men of Israel that were on the other
side of the valley, and they that were on the other
side Jordan, saw that the men 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 Philis-
tines 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 in-
to the land of the Philistines round about, to publish
it in the house of their idols, and among the people.
And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth:
and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard
[ 899 ]
I. SAMUEL [XXXI
of that which the Philistines had done to Saul ; all the
valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the
body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall
of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them
there. And they took their bones, and buried them un-
der a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
[ 900 ]
THE SECOND BOOK OF
SAMUEL
OTHERWISE CALLED
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS
NOW 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 am I escaped. And David said un-
to him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me.
And he answered, That 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? And the young man that told him said, As
I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold,
Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and
horsemen followed hard after him. And when he
looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me.
[ 901 ]
II. SAMUEL [I
And I answered. Here am I. And he said unto me,
Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Ama-
lekite. He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, up-
on me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me,
because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood upon
him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could
not live after that he was fallen : and I took the crown
that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on
his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them;
and likewise 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 the
Lord , and for the house of Israel ; because they were
fallen by the sword.
And David said unto the young man that told him.
Whence art thou } And he answered, I am the son of
a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said unto him.
How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand
to destroy the Lord's anointed.? And David called one
of the young men, and said. Go near, and fall upon
him. And he smote him that he died. And David said
unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head ; for thy mouth
hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the
Lord's anointed.
And David lamented with this lamentation over
n II. SAMUEL
Saul and over Jonathan his son : ( also he bade them
teach the children of Judah the use of the bow : be-
hold, it is written in the book of Jasher. )
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places :
How are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Askelon ;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Ye mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew, neither let there be rain,
upon you, nor fields of offerings :
For there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast
away.
The shield of Saul, as though he had not been
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 lovely and pleasant in their
lives,
And in their death they were not divided:
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights,
[ 908 ]
II. SAMUEL [II
Who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle !
0 Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
1 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 mighty fallen.
And the weapons of war perished!
And it came to pass after this, that David enquired
of the Lord, saying. Shall I go up into any of the
cities of Judah.^ And the Lord 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 wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,and Abigail
Nabal's wife the Carmelite. And his men that were
with him did David bring up, every man with his
household: and they 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, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were
they that buried Saul.
And David sent messengers unto the men of Ja-
besh-gilead, and said unto them. Blessed be ye of the
Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your
lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now
[ 904 ]
II] II. SAMUEL
the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you: and I
also will requite you this kindness, because ye have
done this thing. Therefore now let your hands be
strengthened, and be ye valiant : for your master Saul
is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed
me king over them.
But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host,
took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him
over to Mahanaim ; and made him king over Gilead,
and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over
Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. Ish-
bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he be-
gan to reign over Israel, and 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 ser-
vants of David, went out, and met together by the
pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, 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
m.en now arise, and play before us. And Joab said.
Let them arise. Then there arose and went over by
number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-
I [ 905 ] 5^f2
II. SAMUEL [II
bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants
of David. And they caught every one his fellow by
the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side;
so they fell down together: wherefore that place was
called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. And
there was a very sore battle that day ; and Abner was
beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of
David.
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab,
and Abishai, 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 following Abner. Then Abner looked
behind him, and said. Art thou Asahel.? And he an-
swered, I am. 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 ar-
mour. But Asahel would not turn aside from follow-
ing 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 with the hinder end
of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the
spear came out behind him ; and he fell down there,
and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that
o..iO [ 906 ]
I
II] II. SAMUEL
as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down
and died stood still. Joab also and Abishai pursued
after Abner : and the sun went down when they were
come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by
the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves
together after Abner, and became one troop, 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, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then
in the morning the people had gone up every one
from following his brother. So Joab blew a trumpet,
and all the people stood still, and pursued after Is-
rael no more, neither fought they any more. And Ab-
ner and his men walked all that night through the
plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all
Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim. And Joab re-
turned from following Abner : and when he had ga-
thered all the people together, there lacked of Da-
vid'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. .i^ v.^^ii^
[ ^JOT ]
II. SAMUEL [HI
And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the
sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-Iehem.
And Joab and his men went all night, and they came
to Hebron at break of day.
Now there was long war between the house of Saul
and the house of David : but David waxed stronger
and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker
and weaker.
And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and
his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreel-
itess; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of
Nabal the Carmelite ; and the third, Absalom the son
of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and
the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital ; and the sixth,
Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born
to David in 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 for the house of Saul. And Saul
had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah,the daugh-
ter of Aiah : and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Where-
fore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?
Then was Abner very wrotli for the words of Ish-
bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against
Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of
[ 908 ]
Ill] II. SAMUEL
Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends,
and have not delivered thee into the hand of David,
that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning
this woman? So do God to Abner, and more also,
except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I
do to him ; 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 a word again, because
he feared him.
And Abner sent messengers to David on his be-
half, 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 Da-
vid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, say-
ing. Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to
me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. And
Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband,
even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. And her hus-
band went with her along weeping behind her to Ba-
hurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And
he returned.
[ 909 ]
II. SAMUEL [III
- And Abner had communication with the elders of
Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to
be king over you: now^ then do it: for the Lord 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 ene-
mies. 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 that
seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. So Ab-
ner 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 league with thee, and
that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart de-
sireth. And David sent Abner away ; and he went in
peace.
And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came
from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil
with them: but Abner was not with David in He-
bron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone
in peace. When Joab and all the host that was with
him were come, they 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
[ '-no ]
m] II. SAMUEL
the king, and said, What hast tliou done? behold,
Abner came unto thee ; why is it that thou hast sent
him away, and he is quite gone? Thou knowest Ab-
ner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and
to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to
know all that thou doest. And when Joab was come
out from David, he sent messengers after Abner,
which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but
David knew it not. And when Abner was returned to
Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with
him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib,
that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and
my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever
from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: let it rest
on the head of Joab, and on 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 falleth on the sword, or that lacketh
bread. So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner,
because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon
in the battle.
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that
were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with
sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king Da-
vid himself followed the bier. And they buried Ab-
[ 911 ]
II. SAMUEL [IV
ner in Hebron : and the king lifted up his voice, and
wept at the grave of Abner ; and all the people wept.
And the king lamented over Abner, and said. Died
Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound,
nor thy feet put into fetters : as a man falleth before
wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept
again over him. And when all the people came to
cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, Da-
vid sv/are, saying, So do God to me, and more also,
if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.
And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased
them : as whatsoever the king did pleased all the peo-
ple. For all the people and all Israel understood 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: the Lord shall reward the doer of
evil according to his wickedness.
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead
in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israel-
ites were troubled. And Saul's son had two men that
were captains of bands : the name of the one was
Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons
of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benja-
[ 5)1^ ]
IV] II. SAMUEL
min: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:
and the Beerothites fled to Gittaini, and were sojourn-
ers there until this day.) And 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, who lay on a bed at noon.
And they came thither into the midst of the house,
as though they would have fetched wheat; and they
smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baa-
nah his brother escaped. For when they came into the
house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they
smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took
his head, and gat them away through the plain all
night. And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth un-
to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the
head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy , which
sought thy life ; and the Lord hath avenged my lord
the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. And Da-
vid answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the
sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them.
As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out
[ 913 ]
11. SAMUEL [V
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, who thought
that I would have given him a reward for his tidings :
how much more, when wicked men have slain a right-
eous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I
not therefore now require his blood of your hand,
and take you away from the earth? And David com-
manded his young men, and they slew them, and
cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them
up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head
of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre 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. Also in time past, when Saul was king
over us, thou wast he that leddest out and brought-
est in Israel: and the Lord said to thee. Thou shalt
feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain
over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the
king to Hebron ; and king David made a league v,'ith
them in Hebron before the Lord : and they anointed
David king over Israel.
David was thirty years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned
over Judah seven years and six months: and in Je-
[ 914 J
VH II. SAMUEL
rusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all
Israel and Judah.
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem un-
to 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, Whoso-
ever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Je-
busites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of
David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Where-
fore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come
into the house. So David dwelt in the fort, and called
it the city of David, And David built round about
from Millo and inward. And David went on, and grew
great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to Da-
vid, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons:
and they built David an house. And David perceived
that the Lord had established him king over Israel,
and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people
Israel's sake.
And David took him more concubines and wives
out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron:
and there were yet sons and daughters born to Da-
[ 91o ]
II. SAMUEL [V
vid. And these be the names of those that were born
unto him in Jerusalem ; Shammuah, and Shobab, and
Nathan, and Solomon, Ibhar also, and Elishua, and
Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and
Eliphalet.
But when the Philistines heard that they had an-
ointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came
up to seek David ; and David heard of it, and went
down to the hold. The Philistines also came and spread
themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David en-
quired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Phi-
listines.'^ wilt thou deliver them into mine hand.'^ And
the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubt-
less deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David
came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there,
and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine ene-
mies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore
he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. And
there they left their images, and David and his men
burned them.
And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread
themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when Da-
vid enquired of the Lord, he said. Thou shalt not go
up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon
them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be,
when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops
[ i)l(j ]
VI] II. SAMUEL
of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thy-
self: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to
smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so,
as the Lord had commanded him ; and smote the Phi-
listines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
Again, David gathered together all the chosen
men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and
w^ent with all the people that were with him from
Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of
God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord
of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. And
they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought
it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah:
and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the
new cart. And they brought it out of the house of
Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the
ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And Da-
vid and all the house of Israel played before the Lord
on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even
on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on
cornets, and on cymbals.
And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor,
Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took
hold of it ; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of
the Lord was kindled against Uzzah ; and God smote
him there for his error ; and there he died by the ark
[ 'ni ]
II. SAMUEL [VI
of God. And David was displeased, because the Ix)rd
had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the
name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day. And Da-
vid was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How
shall the ark of the Lord come to me ? So David would
not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city
of David: but David carried it aside into the house
of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of the Lord
continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three
months: and the Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all
his household.
And it was told king David, saying,The Lord hath
blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that per-
taineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So Da-
vid went and brought up the ark of God from the
house of Obed-edom into the city of David with glad-
ness. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark
of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and
fatlings. And David danced before the Lord with all
his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
So David and all the house of Israel brought up the
ark of the Ix)rd with shouting, and with the sound of
the trumpet. And as the ark of the Lord came into the
city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through
a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing
before the Lord ; and she despised him in her heart.
[ 1)18 ]
VI] II. SAMUEL
And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set
it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that Da-
vid had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offer-
ings and peace offerings before the Lord. And as soon
as David had made an end of offering burnt offer-
ings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the
name of the Lord of hosts. And he dealt among all the
people, even among the whole multitude of Israel,
as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of
bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.
So all the people departed every one to his house.
Then David returned to bless his household. And
Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet Da-
vid, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel
to day, who uncovered himself to day 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 the Lord, which chose
me before thy father, and before all his house, to ap-
point me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Is-
rael : therefore will I play before the Lord. And I will
yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine
own sight : and of the maidservants which thou hast
spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. There-
fore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto
the day of her death.
[ 919 ]
II. SAMUEL [VII
And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house,
and the Lord had given him rest round about from
all his enemies; that the king said unto Nathan the
prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but
the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. And Nathan
said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for
the Lord is with thee.
And it came to pass that night, that the word of
the Lord came unto Nathan, saying. Go and tell my
servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build
me an house for me to dwell in f whereas I have not
dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up
the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day,
but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all
the places wherein I have walked with all the chil-
dren of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes
of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Is-
rael, saying. Why build ye not me an house of cedar .^
Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant Da-
vid, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from
the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler
over my people, over Israel : and I was with thee whi-
thersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine
enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great
name, like unto the name of the great men that are
in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for my
[ 920 ]
VII] II. SAMUEL
people Israel, and will plant them, that they may
dwell in a place of their own, and move no more;
neither shall the children of wickedness affiift them
any more, as beforetime, and as since the time that
I commanded judges to be over my people Israel,
and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.
Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an
house.
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt
sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after
thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I
will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house
for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his
kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be
my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with
the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children
of men : but my mercy shall not depart away from
him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before
thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be es-
tablished for ever before thee : thy throne shall be
established for ever. According to all these words,
and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak
unto David.
Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord,
and he said, Who am I, O Lord God.? and what is
my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? And
[ 921 ]
II. SAMUEL [VII
this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God ;
but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for
a great while to come. And is this the manner of man,
O Lord God .? And what can David say more unto
thee.? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant. For
thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart,
hast thou done all these great things, to make thy ser-
vant know them. Wherefore thou art great, O Lord
God : for there is none like thee, neither is there any
God beside thee, according to all that we have heard
with our ears. And what one nation in the earth is
like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to
redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a
name, and to do for you great things and terrible,
for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeem-
edst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their
gods ? For thou hast confirmed to th3^self thy peo-
ple Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou,
Lord, art become their God. And now, O Lord God
the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy ser
vant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever,
and do as thou hast said. And let thy name be magni-
fied for ever, saying. The Lord of hosts is the God
over Israel : and let the house of thy servant David
be established before thee. For thou, O Lord of hosts,
God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying,
[ 922 J
VIII] II. SAMUEL
I will build thee an house : therefore hath thy servant
found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. And
now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words
be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto
thy servant: therefore now let it please thee to bless
the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever
before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it':
and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be
blessed for ever.
And after this it came to pass, that David smote
the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took
Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line,
casting them down to the ground; even with two
lines measured he to put to death, and with one full
line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became Da-
vid's servants, and brought gifts.
David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob,
king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at
the river Euphrates. And David took from him a
thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and
twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the
chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred
chariots. And when the Syrians of Damascus came
to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of
the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. Then Da-
[ 923 ]
11. SAMUEL [VIII
vid put garrisons in Syria of Damascus : and the Syri-
ans became servants to David, and brought gifts. And
the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.
And David took the shields of gold that were on the
servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusa-
lem. And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of
Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.
When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had
smitten all the host of Hadadezer, then Toi sent Jo-
ram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to
bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer,
and smitten him : for Hadadezer had wars with Toi.
And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and
vessels of gold, and vessels of brass: which also king
David did dedicate unto the Lord, with the silver and
gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he
subdued ; of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children
of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek,
and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of
Zobah. And David gat him a name when he returned
from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, be-
ing eighteen thousand men.
And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all
Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom be-
came David's servants. And the Lord preserved Da-
vid whithersoever he went. And David reigned over
L 9^i4. ]
IX] II. SAMUEL
all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice
unto all his people. And Joab the son of Zeruiah was
over the host ; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was
recorder ; and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahime-
lech the son of Abiathar, were the priests ; and Se-
raiah was the scribe ; and Benaiah the son of Jehoi-
ada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites ;
and David's sons were chief rulers.
And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the
house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jo-
nathan's sake? And there was of the house of Saul a
servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had
called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art
thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. And the
king said. Is there not yet any 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
Lx)-debar.
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the
house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the
son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face,
and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth.
[ 925 ]
I
II. SAMUEL [X
And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David
said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee
kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will re-
store thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou
shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed
himself, 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, I have given unto thy master's son
all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. Thou
therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till
the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits,
that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Me-
phibosheth 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 hath commanded his ser-
vant, 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 young son,
whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the
house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So
Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem : for he did eat con-
tinually at the king's table; and was lame on both
his feet.
• " And it came to pass after this, that the king of the
[ 92G J
X] II. SAMUEL
children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned
in his stead. Then said David, I will shew kindness
unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed
kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him
by the hand of his servants for his father. And Da-
vid's servants came into the land of the children of
Ammon. And the princes of the children of Ammon
said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that Da-
vid doth honour thy father, that he hath sent com-
forters unto thee.'^ hath not David rather sent his
servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it
out, and to overthrow it.? Wherefore 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, because the
men were greatly ashamed: and the king said. Tarry
at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then re-
turn.
And when the children of Ammon saw that they
stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and
hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of
Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maa-
cah a thousand men, and of Ish-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
[ 927 ]
11. SAMUEL [X
Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the
entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and
of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by them-
selves in the field. When Joab saw that the front
of the battle was 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 peo-
ple he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother,
that he might 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 let us play
the men for our people, and for the cities of our God:
and the Lord do that which seemeth him good. And
Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him,
unto the battle against the Syrians : and they fled be-
fore him. And when the children of Ammon saw
that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before
Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned
from the children of Ammon, and came to Jeru-
salem.
And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten
before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians
that were beyond the river: and they came to He-
[ 9i28 ]
XI] II. SAMUEL
lam ; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadare-
zer went before them. And when it was told David,
he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jor-
dan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set them-
selves in array against David, and fought with him.
And the Syrians fled before Israel ; and David slew
the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians,
and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the
captain of their host, who died there. And when all
the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that
they were smitten before Israel, they made peace
with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared
to help the children of Amnion any more.
And it came to pass, after the year was expired,
at the time when kings go forth to battle, that Da-
vid sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all
Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon,
and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Je-
rusalem.
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, 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
washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful
to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the
woman. And one said. Is not this Bath-sheba, the
daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite ? And
I [ 929 ] 2g
11. SAMUEL [XI
David sent messengers, and took her; and she came
in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was puri-
fied from her uncleanness : and she returned unto her
house. And the woman conceived, and 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 David. And when
Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him
how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the
war prospered. And David said to Uriah, Go down
to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed
out of the king's house, and there followed him a
mess of meat from the king. But Uriah slept at the
door of the king's house with all the servants of his
lord, and went not down to his house. And when they
had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto
his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not
from thy journey ? why then didst thou not go down
unto thine house? And Uriah said unto David, The
ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my
lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped
in the open fields ; shall I then go into mine house,
to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife.^^ as thou
livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and
to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in
XI] II. SAMUEL
Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And when Da-
vid 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 by the hand of
Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uri-
ah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire
ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And it
came to pass, Vv^hen Joab observed the city, that he
assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that va-
liant men were. And the men of the city went out,
and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the peo-
ple of the servants of David ; and Uriah the Hittite
died also.
Then Joab sent and told David all the things con-
cerning the war; and charged the messenger, say-
ing. When thou hast made an end of telling the mat-
ters of the war unto the king, and if so be that the
king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore
approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight .^
knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall ?
Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth ? did
not a woman casta piece of a millstone upon him from
the wall, that he died in Thebez.^ why went ye nigh
[ 931 ]
11. SAMUEL [XII
the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hit-
tite is dead also.
So the messenger went, and came and shewed Da-
vid all that Joab had sent him for. And the messen-
ger said unto David, Surely 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 from off the wall upon thy servants ;
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 shalt 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.
And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her
husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
And when the mourning was past, David sent and
fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and
bare him a son. But the thing that David had done
displeased the Lord.
And the Lord 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
[ 9ti^ J
XII] II. SAMUEL
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 meat, and drank of his own cup,
and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daugh-
ter. And there came a traveller 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 the Lord liveth, the man that hath
done this thing shall surely die : and he shall restore
the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and be-
cause he had no pity.
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.
Thus saith the Lord 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 moreover have given unto thee
such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised
the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight?
thou hast killed 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 Ammon. Now
[ 933 ]
II. SAMUEL [XII
therefore the sword shall never depart from thine
house; because thou hast despised me, and hast ta-
ken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus
saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against
thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives
before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour,
and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this
sun. For thou didst it secretly : but I will do this thing
before all Israel, and before the sun. And David said
unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And
Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away
thy sin ; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this
deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies
of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born
unto thee shall surely die.
And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord
struck 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 went to 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
[ 934 ]
XII] II. SAMUEL
him, and he would not hearken 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, David perceived that the child was dead:
therefore David said unto his 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 came into the house of
the Lord, 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, What 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 can tell whether
God will be gracious to me, that the child may live.^
But now he is dead, Vv^herefore 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 the Lord
loved him. x\nd he sent by the hand of Nathan the
prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because
of the Lord.
[ 935 ]
II. SAMUEL [XIII
And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children
of Amnion, and took the royal city. And Joab sent
messengers to David, and said, I have fought against
Rabbah, and 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 David ga-
thered all the people together, and went to Rabbah,
and fought against it, and took it. And he took their
king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof
was a talent of gold with the precious stones : and it
was set on David's head. And he brought forth the
spoil of the city in great abundance. 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 all the cities of the chil-
dren of Ammon. So David and all the people returned
unto Jerusalem.
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the
son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Ta-
mar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And
Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister
Tamar ; for she was a virgin ; and Amnon thought it
hard for him to do any thing to her. But Amnon had
a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shi-
[ y^(j ]
xHi] II. SAMUEL
nieah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very sub-
til man. And he said unto him, Why art thou, being
the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not
tell me.^ And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar,
my brother Absalom's sister. And Jonadab said unto
him. Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself
sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say
unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and
give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that
I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and
when the king was come to see him, Amnon said un-
to the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come,
and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I
may eat at her hand. Then David sent home to Ta-
mar, saying. Go now to thy brother Amnon 's house,
and dress him meat. So Tamar went to her brother
Amnon's house ; and he was laid down. And she took
flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight,
and did bake the cakes. And she took a pan, and
poured them out before him ; but he refused to eat.
And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And
they went out every man from him. And Amnon said
unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that
I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes
which she had made, and brought them into the
I [ 937 J 2g^
II. SAMUEL [XIII
chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had
brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her,
and said unto her. Come lie with me, my sister. And
she answered him. 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 cause my
shame to go.^ 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, forced her, and lay
with her. "^^'^^^ ^^^- ^^ 'ri^^^ ®rf^ r':)::vv
^-^ Then Amnon hated her exceedingly ; so that the
hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the
love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said
unto her. Arise, be gone. And she said unto him.
There is no cause : this evil in sending me away is
greater 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 apparelled. Then his servant brought
her out, and bolted the door after her.
- And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her
[ 988 J
x^iii] II. SAMUEL
garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid
her hand on her head, and went on crying. And Ab-
salom her brother said unto her. Hath Amnon thy
brother been with thee.? but hold now thy peace, my
sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So
Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's
house. '-i l^HB .f^Iifrn eirl rioqn (w mrrl
But when king David heard of all these things, he
was very wroth. And Absalom spake unto his bro-
ther Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated
Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
And it came to pass after two full years, that Ab-
salom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is be-
side Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's
sons. And Absalom came to the king, and said, Be-^
hold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers ; let the
king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy ser-
vant. And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let
us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee;
And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but
blessed him. Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee,
let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said
unto him, Why should he go with thee ? But Absalom
pressed him, that he let x^mnon and all the king's
sons go with him.
Now Absalom had commanded his servants, say-
[ 939 ]
11. SAMUEL [XIII
ing, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry
with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon;
then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you?
be courageous, and be valiant. And the servants of
Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had command-
ed. 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 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 tare his garments, and
lay on the earth ; and all his servants stood by with
their clothes rent. And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah
David's brother, answered and said. Let not my lord
suppose that they have slain all the young men the
king's sons ; for Amnon only is dead : for by the ap-
pointment of Absalom this hath been determined from
the day that he forced his sister Tamar. Now there-
fore let not my lord the king take the thing to his
heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for
Amnon only is dead. But Absalom fled. And the
young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes,
and looked, and, behold, there came much people by
the way of the hill side behind him. And Jonadab
said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as
thy servant said, so it is. And it came to pass, as soon
[ •)-*^> J
XIV] II. SAMUEL
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
Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for
his son every day. So Absalom fled, and went to Ge-
shur, and was there three years. And the soul of king
David longed to go forth unto Absalom : for he was
comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the
king's heart was toward Absalom. And Joab sent to
Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said
unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner,
and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not
thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long
time mourned for the dead: and come to the king,
and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the
words in her mouth.
And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king,
she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance,
and said. Help, O king. And the king said unto her.
What aileth thee.'' And she answered, I am indeed 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 slew him. And, behold,
[ 941 ]
II. SAMUEL [XIV
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 we will destroy the heir also : and so they
shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave
to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the
earth. And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine
house, and I will give charge concerning thee. And
the woman of Tekoah said unto the king. My lord,
O 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 ought unto thee, bring
him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember
the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the
revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they de-
stroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there
shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth. Then
the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee,
speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said,
Say on. And the woman said. Wherefore then hast
thou thought such a thing against the people of God ?
for the king doth speak this thing as one which is
faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again
his banished. For we must needs die, and are as wa-
ter spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered
[ ^42 ]
xjv] II. SAMUEL
up again; neither doth God respedl any person: yet
doth he devise means, that his banished be not ex-
pelled from him. Now therefore that I am come to
speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is be-
cause the people have made me afraid: and thy hand-
maid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be
that the king will perform the request of his hand-
maid. For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid
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, The word of my lord the
king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of
God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad :
therefore the Lord thy God will be with thee. Then
the king answered and said unto the woman. Hide
not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask
thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now
speak. And the king said. Is not the hand of Joab
with thee in all this.^ And the v/oman answered and
said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can
turn to the right hand or to the left from ought 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 handmaid : to fetch about this form of speech
hath thy servant Joab done this thing : and my lord
is wise, according to the v/isdom of an angel of God,
[ 948 J
II. SAMUEL [XIV
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 bowed himself, and thanked the king: and
Joab said. To day thy servant knoweth that I have
found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the
king hath fulfilled 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, and let him not see mv face. So Absalom re-
turned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
But in all Israel there was none to be so much
praised as Absalom for his beauty : from the sole of
his foot even to the crown of his head there was no
blemish in him. And when he polled his head, (for
it was at every year's end that he polled it: because
the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:)
he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred she-
kels after the king's weight. And unto Absalom there
were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name
was Tamar : she was a woman of a fair countenance.
So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and
saw not the king's face. Therefore Absalom sent for
Joab, to have sent him to the king ; but he would not
come to him : and when he sent again the second time,
[ 94-i J
XV] II. SAMUEL
he would not come. Therefore he said unto his ser-
vants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath bar-
ley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's ser-
vants set the field on fire. Then Joab arose, and came
to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Where-
fore have thy servants set my field on fire ? And Ab-
salom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, say-
ing. Come hither, that I may send thee to the king,
to say. Wherefore am I come from Geshur.? it had
been good for me to have been there still : now there-
fore let me see the king's face; and if there be any
iniquity in me, let him kill me. So Joab came to the
king, and told him: and when he had called for Ab-
salom, 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 pre-
pared hiiB chariots 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 that had a controversy came 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
[ 945 ]
II. SAMUEL [xv
said moreover, Oh that I were madejudgeintheland,
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 him to do
him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and toolv him,
and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to
all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Ab-
salom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
And it came to pass after forty years, that Absa-
lom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay
my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, in He-
bron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at
Geshur in Syria, saying. If the Lord shall bring me
again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.
And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose,
and went to Hebron.
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes
of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of
the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in
Hebron. And with i\bsalom went two hundred men
out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they 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 sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for
the people increased continually with Absalom.
L y-i'^ J
XVI II. SAMUEL
And there came a messenger to David, saying.
The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom^
And David said unto all his servants that were with
him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee ; for we shall
not else escape from Absalom : make speed to depart,
lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil 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 appoint. 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
tarried in a place that was far off. And all his servants
passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and
all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred
men v/hich came after him from Gath, passed on be-
fore the king.
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore
goest thou also with us ? return to thy place, and abide
with the king : for thou art a stranger, and also an
exile. 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 the Lord liveth, and
I -947 J
II. SAMUEL [XV
as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my
lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even
there also will thy servant be. And David 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 with 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, and all the Levites were with
him, bearing 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
city. And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the
ark of God into the city : if I shall find favour in the
eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew
me both it, and his habitation: but if he thus say, I
have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him
do to me as seemeth good unto him. The king said
also unto Zadok the priest. Art not thou a seer.^ re-
turn into the city in peace, and your two sons with
you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abi-
athar. See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness,
until there come word from you to certify me. Za-
dok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God
again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
[ 948 J
XV] II. SAMUEL
And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet,
and wept as he went up, and had his head covered,
and he went barefoot: and all the people that was
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 conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O
Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel in-
to foolishness.
And it came to pass, that when David was come
to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God,
behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with
his coat rent, and earth upon his head : unto whom
David said. 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, O
king ; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so
will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for
me defeat 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, they have
there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's
son, and Jonathan Abiathar 's son; and by them ye
shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. So
[ 949 ]
II. SAMUEL [XVI
Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absa-
lom came into Jerusalem. >
^- And when David was a little past the top of the hill,
Behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him,
with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two
hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of
raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bot-
tle of wine. And the king said unto Ziba, What mean-
est 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 young 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 Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at
Jerusalem : for he said, To day shall the house of Is-
rael restore me the kingdom of my father. Then said
the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained
unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech
thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O
king.
And v/hen king David came to Bahurim, behold,
thence came out a man of the family of the house
of Saul, whose name was vShimei, the son of Gera:
he came forth, 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
[ 950 ]
XVI] ' IL SAMUEL
were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said
Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou
bloody man, and thou man of Belial: the Lord hath
returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul,
in whose stead thou hast reigned ; and the Lord hath
delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy
son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, be-
cause thou art a bloody man. -^'^i or,.
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king.
Why 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.^ so let him curse, because the Lord
hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say,
Wherefore hast thou done so .^ And David said to Abi-
shai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which
came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much
more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone,
and let him curse ; for the Lord hath bidden him. It
may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and
that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this
day. And as David and his men went by the way, Shi-
mei went along on the hill's side 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 refreshed themselves there.
[ ^)'51 ]
11. SAMUEL [XVI
And Absalom, and all the people the men of Is-
rael, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, Da-
vid's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai
said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the
king. And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kind-
ness to thy friend.? why wentest thou not with thy
friend.? And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but
whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of
Israel, choose, 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 counsel
among you what we shall do. And Ahithophel 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 con-
cubines in the sight of all Israel. And the counsel of
Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was
as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God : so was
all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and
with Absalom.
L 95!^ J
xvii] II. SAMUEL
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 up-
on 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 like-
wise what he saith. And when Hushai was come to
Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahitho-
phel 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 is
not good at this time. For, said Hushai, thou know-
est thy father and his men, that they be mighty 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 over-
thrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will
say, There is a slaughter among the people that fol-
low Absalom. And he also that is valiant, whose heart
[ 953 ]
11. SAMUEL [XVII
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. Therefore
I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto
thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that
is by the sea for multitude ; and that thou go to bat-
tle 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 there
shall not be left 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 the Lord had appointed to defeat the good coun-
sel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might
bring evil upon Absalom.
Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the
priests. Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absa-
lom and the elders of Israel ; and thus and thus have
I counselled. Now therefore send quickly, and tell
David, saying. Lodge not this night in the plains of
the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king
be swallowed up, and all the people that are with
[ 954 ]
XVII] II. SAMUEL
him. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel ;
for they might not be seen to come into the city : and
a wench went and told them ; and they went and told
king David. Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told
Absalom : but they went both of them away quickly,
and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had
a well in his court; whither they went down. And
the woman took and spread a covering over the well's
mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the
thing was not knov/n. And when Absalom's servants
came to the woman to the house, they said. Where
is Ahimaaz and Jonathan ? And the woman said unto
them. They be gone over the brook of water. And
when they had sought and could not find them, they
returned to Jerusalem, And it came to pass, after
they were departed, that they came up outof the well,
and went and told king David, and said unto Da-
vid, Arise, and pass quickly 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 to his house, to his city, and put his house-
hold in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was
[ 955 ]
II. SAMUEL [xviii
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 made Amasa captain of the host
instead of Joab : which Amasa was a man's son, whose
name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail
the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mo-
ther. So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gi-
lead. And it came to pa^s, 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 Barzillai the Gileadite of
Rogelim, brought beds, and basons, and earthen ves-
sels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched
corn, and beans, and lentiles, 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 a third
part of the people 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,
[ 956 J
XVIII] II. SAMUEL
I will surely go forth with you myself also. But the
people answered, 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 now thou art worth
ten thousand of us : therefore now it is better that
thou succour us out of the city. 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 came
out by hundreds and by thousands. And the king
commanded 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 Ab-
salom.
So the people went out into the field against Is-
rael : and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim ;
where the people of Israel were slain before the ser-
vants of David, and there was there a great slaughter
that day of twenty thousand men. For the battle was
there scattered over the face of all the country : and
the wood devoured more people that day than the
sword devoured.
And Absalom met the servants of David. And Ab-
salom rode upon a 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
[ 957 j
II. SAMUEL [xviri
heaven and the earth ; and the mule that was under
him went away. And a certain man saw it, and told
Joab, and said, Behold, I sav/ Absalom hanged in an
oak. And Joab said unto the man that told him, And,
behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not
smite him there to the ground.? and I would have
given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. And
the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a
thousand shekels 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, saying. Beware that none touch the young man
Absalom. Otherwise I should have wrought false-
hood against mine own life : for there is no matter
hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set
thyself against me. Then said Joab, I may not tarry
thus w^ith 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 a great pit in the
wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him :
and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
[ y^58 ]
XVIII] 11. SAMUEL
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared
upfor himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for
he said, I have no son to keep my name in remem-
brance: and he called the pillar after his own name:
and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now
run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord
hath avenged him of his enemies. And Joab said unto
him, Thou shalt not bear 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 Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast
seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to
Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run
after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run,
my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready .'^ But
howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto
him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain,
and overran Cushi. x\nd David sat between the two
gates : and the watchman went up to the roof over
the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and
looked, and behold a man running alone. And the
watchman cried, and told the king. And the king
said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And
he came apace, and drew near. And the watchman
[ 959 ]
II. SAMUEL [XVIII
saw another man running : and the watchman called
unto the porter, and said, Behold another man run-
ning alone. And the king said. He also bringeth ti-
dings. And the watchman said, Me thinketh the run-
ning 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 fell
down to the earth upon his face before the king, and
said. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath de-
livered up the men that lifted up their hand against
my lord the king. And the king said, Is the young
man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered. When
Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I
saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.
And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand
here. And he turned aside, and stood still. And, be-
hold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord
the king: for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of
all them that rose up against thee. A.nd the king said
unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe.^ And
Cushi answered. The enemies of my lord the king,
and all that rise 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,
[ 9(U) ]
xrx] II. SAMUEL
thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son
Absalom ! would God I had died for thee, O Absa-
lom, my son, my son!
And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth
and mourneth for Absalom. And the viftory that day
was turned into mourning unto all the people : for the
people heard say that day how the king was grieved
for his son. And the people gat them by stealth that
day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away
when they flee in battle. But the king covered his
face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son
Absalom, O 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 lives of thy sons
and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and
the lives of thy concubines ; in tliat thou lovest thine
enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast de-
clared this day, that thou regardest neither princes
nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom
had lived, and all we 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
the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry
one with thee this night: and that will be worse un-
to thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy
[ 961 ] 2h
II. SAMUEL [XIX
youth until now. Then the king arose, and sat in the
gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Be-
hold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the peo-
ple came before the king: for Israel had fled every
man to his tent.
And all the people were at strife throughout all
the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of
the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of
the hand of the Philistines ; and now he is fled out
of the land for Absalom. And Absalom, whom we an-
ointed 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, even to his house. Ye are my brethren,
ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are
ye the last to bring back the king.? And say ye to
Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh.?
God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not cap-
tain of the host before me continually in the room of
Joab. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Ju-
dah, even as the heart of one man ; so that they sent
this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy ser-
vants. So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And
L 9()ii J
XIX] II. SAMUEL
Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to con-
du6l the king over Jordan.
And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which
was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men
of Judah to meet king David. And there were a thou-
sand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the ser-
vant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and
his twenty servants with him ; and they went over
Jordan before the king. And there went over a ferry
boat to carry over the king's household, and to do
what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera
fell down before the king, as he was come over Jor-
dan ; and 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 thy servant doth know that
I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first
this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to
meet my lord the king. But Abishai the son of Ze-
ruiah answered and said. Shall not Shimei be put to
death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed.'^
And David said. What have I to do with you, ye sons
of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries un-
to me .? shall there any man be put to death this day
in Israel.? for do not I know that I am this day king
[ 963 ]
II. SAMUEL [XIX
over Israel? Therefore the king said iiiito Shimei,
Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to
meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor
trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the
day the king departed until the day he came again
in peace. And it came to pass, when he was come to
Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto
him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephi-
bosheth .? And he answered. My lord, O king, my ser-
vant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will sad-
dle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the
king ; because thy servant is lame. And he hath slan-
dered 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 of 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 to cry any
more unto the king? And the king said unto him,
Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have
said, Thou and Ziba divide the land. And Mephibo^
sheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, for-
asmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace
unto his own house.
And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Ro-
xixi IL SAMUEL
geiim, and went over Jordan with the king, to con-
duct him over Jordan. Now Barzillai was a very aged
man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided
the king of sustenance while 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 feed
thee with me in Jerusalem. And Barzillai said unto
the king. How long have I to live, that I should go
up with the king unto Jerusalem ? I am this day four-
score years old: and can I discern between good and
evil? can th}^ servant taste what I eat or what I drink .?
can I hear any more th.e voice of singing ^ en and
singing women .^ wherefore then should thy servant
be yet a burden unto my lord the king.^^ Thy servant
will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and
why should the king recompense it me with such a
reward ^ Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again,
that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by
the grave of my father and of my mother. But be-
hold thy 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 re-
quire of me, that will I do for thee. And all the peo-
ple went over Jordan. And when the king was come
[ 965 ]
II. SAMUEL [XX
over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him ; and
he returned unto his own place. Then the king went
on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and
all the people of Judah conducted the king, 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 have brought
the king, and his household, and all David's men
with him, over Jordan ^ And all the men of Judah an-
swered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of
kin to us : wherefore then be ye angry for this mat-
ter.^ 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 Benja-
mite: and he blew a trumpet, and said. We have no
part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son
of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel. So every
man of Israel went up from after David, and followed
[ 9G() ]
XX] II. SAMUEL
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 v^^omen his concubines, w^hom
he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward,
and fed them, 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, Assemble me the
men of Judah within three days, and be thou here
present. So Amasa went to assemble the men of Ju-
dah: 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 us. And there went out after him Joab's men,
and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the
mighty men : and they went out of Jerusalem, to pur-
sue after Sheba the son of Bichri. When they were
at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went
before them. And Joab's garment that he nad put on
was girded unto him, and upon it 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, Art thou in health, my brother.? And Joab
[ 967 ]
II. SAMUEL [XX
took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss
him. But Auiasa took no heed to the sword that was
in Joab's hand : so he smote him therewith in the fifth
rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck
him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his
brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. And
one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that
favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go
after Joab. And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst
of the highway. And when the man saw that all the
people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the high-
way into the field, and cast a cloth upon 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 un-
to Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites:
and they were gathered together, and went also after
him. And they came and besieged him in Abel of
Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank against the
city, and it stood in the trench: and all 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 pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither,
1 DGS J
XX] 11. SAiMUEL
that I may speak with thee. And when he was come
near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And
he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him. Hear
the words of tJiine handmaid. And he answered, I do
hear. Then she spake, saying, They were wont to
speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask coun-
sel at Abel : and so they ended the matter. I am one
of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel : thou
seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why
wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord.?
And Joab answered and said, F^ar be it, far be it from
me, that I should swallow up or destroy. The matter
is not so: but a man of mount 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 off the head of Sheba
the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew
a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man
to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the
king.
Now Joab was over all the host of Israel : and Be-
naiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites
and over the Pelethites: and Adoram was over the
I [ 969 ] 2h2
II. SAMUEL [XXI
tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was re-
corder: and Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abi-
athar were the priests : and Ira also the Jairite was a
chief ruler about David.
Then there was a famine in the days of David
three years, year after year; and David enquired of
the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and
for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto
them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children
of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and
the children of Israel had sworn unto them : and Saul
sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Is-
rael and Judah ; ) wherefore David said unto the Gi-
beonites, What shall I do for you.? and wherewith
shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the
inheritance of the Lord.? And the Gibeonites said unto
him. We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor
of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man
in Israel. And he said. What ye shall say, that will
I do for you. And they answered the king, The man
that consumed us, and that devised against us that
we should be destroyed from remaining in any of
the coasts of Israel, let seven men of his sons be de-
livered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the
Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did choose.
[ 970 ]
XXI] II. SAMUEL
And the king said, I will give them. But the king
spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of
Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between
them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daugh-
ter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and
Mephibosheth ; and the five sons of Michal thedaugh-
ter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son
of Barzillai the Meholathite: and he delivered them
into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged
them in the hill before the Lord: and they fell all
seven together, and were put to death in the days of
harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley
harvest.
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth,
and spread it for her upon the rock, from the begin-
ning of harvest until water dropped upon them out
of heaven, and sufi^ered neither the birds of the air
to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field
by night. And it was told David what Rizpah the
daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
And David went and took the bones of Saul and
the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Ja-
besh-gilead, which had stolen them from the street
of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them,
when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: and
[ 971 ]
II. SAMUEL [xxi
he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the
bones of Jonathan his son ; and they gathered the
bones of them that were hanged. And the bones of
Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country
of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his
father: and they performed all that the king com-
manded. And after that God was intreated for the
land.
Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with
Israel; and David went down, and his servants with
him, and fought against the Philistines: and David
waxed faint. And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons
of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three
hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded
with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But
Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote
the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of Da-
vid sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more
out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light
of Israel. And it came to pass after this, that there
was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then
Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, v/hich was of
the sons of the giant. And there was again a battle
in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of
Jaare-oregim, a Beth-lehemite, slew the brother of
Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like
[ 97^ ]
XXII] IL SAMUEL
a weaver's beam. And there was yet a battle in Gath,
where was a man of great stature, that had on every
hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and
twenty in number ; and he also was born to the giant.
And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shi-
meahthe brother of David slew him. These four were
born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of
David, and by the hand of his servants.
And David spake unto the Lord the words of this
song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out
of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand
of Saul: and he said,
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer;
The God of my rock ; in him will I trust :
He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my
high tower, and my refuge.
My saviour; thou savest me from violence.
I vvqll call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised :
So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
When the waves of death compassed me,
The floods of ungodly men made me afraid ;
The sorrows of hell compassed me about;
The snares of death prevented me;
In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried to my God:
[ 973 ]
II. SAMUEL [xxu
And he did hear my voice out of his temple,
And my cry did enter into his ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled ;
The foundations of heaven moved
And shook, because he was wroth.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils.
And fire out of his mouth devoured:
Coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down;
And darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly:
And he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
And he made darkness pavilions round about him,
Dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
Through the brightness before him
Were coals of fire kindled.
The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the most High uttered his voice.
And he sent out arrows, and scattered them;
Lightning, and discomfited them.
And the channels of the sea appeared,
The foundations of the world were discovered,
At the rebuking of the Lord,
At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
He sent from above, he took me;
He drew me out of many waters ;
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
L 974. J
XXII] II. SAMUEL
And from them that hated me: for they were too
strong for me.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity :
But the Lord was my stay.
He brought me forth also into a large place:
He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteous-
ness :
According to the cleanness of my hands hath he re-
compensed me.
For I have kept the w^ays of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his judgments were before me:
And as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
I was also upright before him,
And have kept myself from mine iniquity.
Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according
to my righteousness ;
According to my cleanness in his eye sight.
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful.
And with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself up-
right.
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure ;
And with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsa-
voury.
And the affli6led people thou wilt save:
But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou may-
est bring them down.
[ 975 ]
II. SAMUEL [XXII
For thou art my lamp, O Lord:
And the Lord will lighten my darkness.
For by thee I have run through a troop:
By my God have I leaped over a wall.
As for God, his way is perfeft;
The word of the Lord is tried:
He is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
For who is God, save the Lord.^
And who is a rock, save our God.'*
God is my strength and power:
And he maketh my way perfe6l.
He maketh my feet like hinds' feet:
And setteth me upon my high places.
He teacheth my hands to war;
So that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation:
And thy gentleness hath made me great.
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me;
So that my feet did not slip.
I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them;
And turned not again until I had consumed them.
And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that
they could not arise:
Yea, they are fallen under my feet.
For thou hast girded me with strength to battle:
Them that rose up against me hast thou subdued
under me.
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies,
i: 976 ]
XXII] II. SAMUEL
That I might destroy them that hate me.
They looked, but there was none to save;
Even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.
Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth,
I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did
spread them abroad.
Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of
my people.
Thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen.
A people which I knew not shall serve me:
Strangers shall submit themselves unto me:
As soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.
Strangers shall fade away.
And they shall be afraid out of their close places.
The Lord Mveth; and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
It is God that avengeth me.
And that bringcth down the people under me,
And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies:
Thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that
rose up against me:
Thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord,
among the heathen.
And I will sing praises unto thy name.
He is the tower of salvation for his king:
And sheweth mercy to his anointed.
Unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
[ 977 ]
11. SAMUEL [xxiii
Nov/ these be the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse said,
And the man who was raised up on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psahriist of Israel, said,
The Spirit of the Lord spake by me,
And his word was in my tongue.
The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spake to me.
He that ruleth over men must be just,
Ruling in the fear of God.
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when
the sun riseth,
Even a morning without clouds ;
As the tender grass springing out of the earth
By clear shining after rain.
Although my house be not so with God ;
Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things, and sure:
For this is all my salvation, and all my desire.
Although he make it not to grow.
But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns
thrust away.
Because they cannot be taken with hands:
But the man that shall touch them
Must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear;
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same
place. ^ ,,^^ J
XXIII] 11. SAMUEL
These be the names of the mighty men whom Da-
vid liad : The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief
among the captains ; the same was Adino the Eznite:
he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he
slew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son
of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three miglity men
with David, when they defied the Philistines that were
there gathered together to battle, and the men of Is-
rael were gone away: he arose, and smote the Phi-
listines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave
unto the sword : and the Lord wrought a great vic-
tory that day ; and the people returned after him only
to spoil. And after him was Shammah the son of Agee
the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered to-
gether into a troop, where was a piece of ground full
of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defend-
ed it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought
a great vi6fory. And three of the thirty chief went
down, and came to David in the harvest time unto
the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines
pitched in the valley of Rephaim. And David was
then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines
was then in Beth-lehem. And David longed, and said,
Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the
well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! And the
[ 979 ]
II. SAMUEL [xxiu
three mighty men brake tlirough the host of the Phi-
listines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-le-
hem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought
it to David : nevertheless he would not drink thereof,
but poured it out unto the Lord. And he said. Be it
far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not
this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of
their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These
things did these three mighty men. And Abishai, the
brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among
three. And he lifted up his spear against three hun-
dred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
Was he not most honourable of three ? therefore he
was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the
first three. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son
of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many
a6ls, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went
down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time
of snow: and he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man:
and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he
went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear
out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his
own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Je-
hoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
He was more honourable than the thirty, but he at-
tained not to the first three. And David set him over
L i)so J
XXIV] 11. SAMUEL
his guard. Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the
thirty ; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,Sham-
mah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, lielez the Pal-
tite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the
Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Zalmon the
Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heleb the son
of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out
of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the
Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, Abi-al-
bon the Arbatiiite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahba
the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sbarar the
Hararite, Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the
Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilo-
nite, Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal
the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, Zelek
the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer
to Joab the son of Zeruiah, Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an
Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled
against Israel, and he moved David against them to
say. Go, number Israel and Judah. For the king said
to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him.
Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan
even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that
I may know the number of the people. And Joab said
[ 981 ]
11. SAMUEL [XXIV
unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the
people, how many soever they he, an hundredfold,
and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it:
hut why doth my lord the king delight in this thing ?
Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against
Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab
and the captains of the host went out from the pre-
sence of the king, to number the people of Israel.
And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer,
on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of
the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: then they came
to Gilead,and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi ; and they
came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon, and came to
the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the
Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to
the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba. So when they
had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusa-
lem at the end of nine months and twenty days. And
Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people
unto the king : and there were in Israel eight hundred
thousand valiant men that drew the sword ; and the
men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
And David's heart smote him after that he had
numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord,
I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now,
I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy
[ 982 ]
XXIV] II. SAMUEL
servant; for I have done very foolishly. For when
David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord
came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I offer
thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I
may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and told
him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine
come unto thee in thy land.'^ or wilt thou flee three
months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee }
or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land ? now
advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that
sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great
strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for
his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the
hand of man.
So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the
morning even to the time appointed: and there died
of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy
thousand men. And when the angel stretched out his
hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented
him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed
the people. It is enough: stay now thine hand. And
the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of
Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto the
Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people,
and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly :
[ 983 ]
II. SAMUEL [XXIV
but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand,
I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's
house.
And Gad came that day to David , and said unto him ,
Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshing-
floor of Araunah the Jebusite. And David, accord-
ing to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord com-
manded. And Araunah looked, and saw the king and
his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah
went out, and bowed himself before the king on his
face upon the ground. And Araunah said. Wherefore
is my lord the king come to his servant .f^ And David
said. To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an
altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed
from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let
my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth
good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sa--
crifice, and threshing instruments and other instru-
ments of the oxen for wood. All these things did Arau-
nah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah
said unto the king. The Lord thy God accept thee.
And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will
surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer
burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which
doth cost me nothing. So David bought the thresh-
ingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And
[ 9«4 ]
XXIV] II. SAMUEL
David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered
burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was
intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed
from Israel.
[ 985 ]
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE
KINGS
COMMONLY CALLED
THE THIRD BOOK OF THE KINGS
NOW king David was old and stricken in years;
and they covered him with clothes, but he gat
no heat. Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let
there be sought for my lord the king a young vir-
gin: and let her stand before the king, and let her
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 coasts of Israel, and found
Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the
king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her
not.
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted him-
self, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him cha-
riots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
And his father had not displeased him at any time in
saying. Why hast thou done so.? and he also was a
very goodly man ; and his mother bare him after Ab-
salom. And he conferred with Joab the son of Ze-
ruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they follow-
ing Adonijah helped him. But Zadok the priest, and
[ 987 ]
I. KINGS [I
Benaiah the son ol"Jehoiada,anci Nathan the prophet,
and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which he-
longed to David, were not with Adonijah. And Ado-
nijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone
of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his
brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah
the king's servants: but Nathan the prophet, and Be-
naiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother,
he called not.
Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mo-
ther 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 may est
save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
Go and get thee in uiito king David, and say unto
him. Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto
thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son
shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
why then doth Adonijah reign? Behold, while thou
3^et talkest there with the king, I also will come in
after thee, and confirm thy w^ords.
And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the
chamber : and the king was very old ; and Abishag the
Shunammite ministered unto the king. And Bath-
sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And
[ '-^^^ ]
I] I. KINGS
the king said, What wouldest thou ? And she said unto
him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto
thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son
shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon rny throne.
And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my
lord the king, thou knowest it not: and he hath slain
oxen and fat cattle 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, O
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 shall come to
pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fa-
thers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted
offenders.
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan
the prophet also came in. And they told the king,
saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he
was come in before the king, he bowed himself be-
fore the king with his face to the ground. And Na-
than 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 fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called
all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and
[ 989 ]
I. KINGS [I
Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink
before him, and say, God save king Adonijah. But
me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solo-
mon, hath he not called. Is this thing done by my
lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy
servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the
king after him?
Then king David answered and said. Call me
Bath-sheba. And she came into the king's presence,
and stood before the king. And the king sware, and
said. As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul
out of all distress, even as I sware unto thee by the
Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy
son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
throne in my stead ; even so will I certainly do this
day. Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the
earth, and did reverence to the king, and said. Let
my lord king David live for ever.
And king David said. Call me Zadok the priest,
and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Je-
hoiada. And they came before the king. The king
also 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 Nnthan the prophet anoint
[ 990 1
I] I. KINGS
him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the
trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. Then ye
shall come up after him, that he may come and sit
upon my throne ; for he shall be king in my stead :
and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and
over Judah. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada an-
swered the king, and said. Amen: the Lord God of
my lord the king say so too. As the Lord 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 down, and
caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and
brought him to Gihon. And Zadok the priest took an
horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solo-
mon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the peo-
ple said, God save king Solomon. And all the people
came up after him, and the people piped with pipes,
and rejoiced with 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 ?
And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son
[ 991 ]
I. KINGS [I
of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto
liim, Come in ; for thou art a valiant man, and bring-
est good tidings. And Jonathan answered and said
to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made
Solomon king. And the king hath sent with him Za-
dok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, 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 Nathan 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, God make the name of So-
lomon better than thy name, and make his throne
greater than thy throne. And the king bowed him-
self upon the bed. And also thus said the king, Bless-
ed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one
to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing
it. And all the guests that were with Adonijah were
afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and
arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the
altar. And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Ado-
nijah-feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught
[ 992 ]
II] I. KINGS
hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solo-
mon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his
servant with the sword. And Solomon said, If he will
shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair
of him fall to the earth : but if wickedness shall be
found in him, he shall die. So king Solomon sent, and
they brought him down from the altar. And he came
and bowed himself to king Solomon : and Solomon
said unto him. Go to thine house.
Now the days of David drew nigh that he should
die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go
the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore,
and shew thyself a man ; and keep the charge of the
Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his sta-
tutes, and his commandments, and his judgments,
and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Mo-
ses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest,
and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: that the Lord
may continue his word which he spake concerning
me, saying. If thy children take heed to their way,
to walk before me in truth with all their heart and
with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he)
a man on the throne of Israel. Moreover thou know-
est also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and
what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel,
unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son
I [ 993 ] 2 1
I. KINGS [II
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 the grave in
peace. But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai
the Gileadite, and let them be of those tliat eat at thy
table: for so they came to me when I fled because
of Absalom thy brother. And, behold, thou hast with
thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahu-
rim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the
day when I went to Mahanaim : but he came down to
meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord,
saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art
a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do
unto him ; but his hoar head bring thou down to the
grave with blood.
So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in
the city of David. And the days that David reigned
over Israel were forty years : seven years reigned he
in Hebron , and thirty and three years reigned he in Je-
rusalem. Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David
his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
And Adonijah th.e son of Haggith came to Bath-
slieba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest
[ 99^ J
J
II] I. KINGS
thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. He said
moreover,! have somewhat 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 the Lord. And now I ask one petition of
thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
And he said, Speak, I pra}^ thee, unto Solomon the
king, ( for he will not say thee nay, ) that he give me
Abishag the Shunammite to wife. And Bath-sheba
said, Well ; I will speak for thee unto the king.
Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to
speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up
to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat
down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the
king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. Then
she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray
thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her.
Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay. And
she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to
Adonijah thy brother to wife. And king Solomon an-
swered 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
[ 995 ]
I. KINGS [II
Joab the son of Zeruiah. Then king Solomon sware
by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also,
if Adonijah have not spoken tliis word against his
own life. Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which
hath established me, and set me on the throne of Da-
vid my father, and who hath made me an house, as
he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada ; and he fell upon him that he died.
And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get
thee to Anathoth, unto thine own 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 Lord God
before David my father, and because thou hast been
affii6led in all wherein my father was affli6led. So
Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto
the Lord ; that he might fulfil the word of the Lord,
Vv^hich he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned
after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom.
And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and
caught hold on the horns of the altar. And it was
told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the taber-
nacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar.
Then Solomon s jnt Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, say-
ing, Go, fall wpon him. And Benaiah came to the
i 996 ]
II] I. KINGS
tabernacle of the Lord, 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 bury him ; that thou may est take
away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me,
and from the house of my father. And the Lord sliall
return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon
two men more righteous and better than he, and slew
them with the sword, my father David not knowing
thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the
host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain
of the host of Judah. Their blood shall therefore re-
turn upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his
seed for ever : but upon David, and upon his seed,
and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there
be peace for ever from the Lord. So Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him :
and he was buried in his own house in the wilder-
ness. 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 it
[ 997 ]
I. KINGS [II
shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest
over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain
that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon
thine own head. And Shimei said unto the king, The
saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will
thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many
days. And it came to pass at the end of three years,
that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto
Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told
Shimei, saying. Behold, thy servants be 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 Solo-
mon 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 make thee to
swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying,
Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and
walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely
die.^ and thou saidst unto me. The word that I have
heard is good. Why then hast thou not kept the oath of
the Lord, and the commandment that I have charged
thee with } The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou
knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy
to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the
Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own
[ 99« ]
tm I. KINGS
head ; and king Solomon shall be blessed, and the
throne of David shall be established before the Lord
for ever. So the king commanded Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he
died. And the kingdom was established in the hand
of Solomon.
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of
Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought
her into the city of David, until he had made an end
of building his own house, and the house of the Lord,
and the wall of Jerusalem round about. Only the peo-
ple sacrificed in high places, because there was no
house built unto the name of the Lord, until those
days. And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the
statutes of David his father : only he sacrificed and
burnt incense in high places. And the king went to
Gibeon to sacrifice there ; for that was the great high
place : a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer
upon that altar.
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a
dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give
thee. And Solomon said. Thou hast shewed unto thy
servant David my father great mercy, according as
he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness,
and in uprightness of heart with thee ; and thou hast
kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given
[ 999 ]
I. KINGS [III
him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And
now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant
king instead of David my father: and I am but a little
child : I know not how to go out or come in. And thy
servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast
chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor
counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant
an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I
may discern between good and bad : for who is able
to judge this thy so great a people.? And the speech
pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
And God said unto him. Because thou hast asked this
thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life ; nei-
ther hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the
life of thine enemies ; but hast asked for thyself un-
derstanding todiscern judgment; behold,! have done
according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise
and an understanding heart ; so that there was none
like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise
like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which
thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that
there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee
all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to
keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy fa-
ther David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream.
[ 1000 ]
Ill] I. KINGS
And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark
of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt of-
ferings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast
to all his servants.
Then came there two women, that were harlots,
unto the king, and stood before him.. And the one
woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in
one house ; and I was delivered of a child with her
in the house. And it came to pass the third day after
that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered
also : and we were together ; there was no stranger
with us in the house, save we two in the house. And
this woman's child died in the night; because she
overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my
son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and
laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my
bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my
child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had con-
sidered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son,
which I did bear. And the other woman said. Nay ;
but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son.
And this said. No ; but the dead is thy son, and the liv-
ing is my son. Thus they spake before the king. Then
said the king, The one saith. This is my son that liv-
eth, and thy son is the dead : and the other saith, Nay ;
but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. And
I [ 1001 ] '2i'Z
I. KINGS [IV
the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a
sword before the king. And the king said, Divide the
living child in two, and give half to the one, and half
to the other. Then spake the woman whose the liv-
ing child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned
upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the
living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said,
Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Then
the king answered and said. Give her the living child,
and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof. And
all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had
judged ; and they feared the king: for they saw that
the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.
So king Solomon was king over all Israel. And
these were the princes which he had ; Azariah the son
of Zadok the priest, Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons
of Shisha, scribes ; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the
recorder. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over
the host : and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests :
and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers:
and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer,
and the king's friend: and Ahishar was over the
household : and Adoniram the son of Abda was over
the tribute.
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel,
which provided vi61;uals for the king and his house-
[ 1002 ]
IV] I. KINGS
hold : each man his month in a year made provision.
And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount
Ephraim: the son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaal-
bim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan : the
son of Hesed, in Ariiboth ; to him pertained Sochoh,
and all the land of Hepher: the son of Abinadab, in
all the region of Dor ; which had Taphath the daugh-
ter of Solomon to wife : Baana the son of Ahilud ; to
him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-
shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel. from
Beth-shean toAbel-meholah,even unto the place that
is beyond Jokneam : the son of Geber, in Ramoth-
gilead ; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of
Manasseh, which are in Gilead ; to him also pertained
the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore
great cities with walls and brasen bars : Ahinadab the
son of Iddo had Mahanaim : Ahimaaz was in Naph-
tali ; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon
to wife : Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and
in Aloth: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin: Geber the son
of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country
of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Ba-
shan ; and he was the only officer which was in the
land.
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which
[ 1003 ]
I. KINGS ' [IV
is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and
making merry. And Solomon reigned over all king-
doms from the river unto the land of the Philistines,
and unto the borderof Egypt: they brought presents,
and served Solomon all the days of his life.
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 pas-
tures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roe-
bucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl. For he had
dominion over all the region on this side the river,
from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on
this side the river: and he had peace on all sides
round about him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely,
every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from
Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses
for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And
those oflficers provided vi6lual for king Solomon, and
for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every
man in his month: they lacked nothing. Barley also
and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought
they unto the place where the officers were, every
man according to his charge.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understand-
ing exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even
[ 1004 ]
V] I. KINGS
as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's
wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of
the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For
he was wiser than all men ; than Ethan the Ezrahite,
and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of
Mahol : and his fame was in all nations round about.
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs
were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees,
from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the
hyssop that springeth out of the wall : he spake also
of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of
fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wis-
dom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which
had heard of his wisdom.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto
Solomon ; for he had heard that they had anointed
him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was
ever a lover of David. And Solomon sent to Hiram,
saying, Thou knowest how that David my father
could not build an house unto the name of the Lord
his God for the wars which were about him on every
side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his
feet. But now the I^rd my God hath given me rest
on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor
evil occurrent. And, behold, I purpose to build an
house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord
[ 1005 ]
I. KINGS [V
spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom
I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build
an house unto my name. Now therefore command
thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon ;
and my servants shall be with thy servants : and unto
thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all
that thou shalt appoint : for thou knowest that there
is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like
unto the Sidonians.
And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words
of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said. Blessed
be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a
wise son over this great people. And Hiram sent to
Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which
thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire
concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber
of fir. My servants shall bring them down from Le-
banon unto the sea : and I will convey them by sea
in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me,
and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou
shalt receive them : and thou shalt accomplish my de-
sire, in giving food for my household. So Hiram gave
Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all
his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thou-
sand measures of wheat for food to his household,
and twenty measures of pure oil : thus gave Solomon
[ 1006 ]
vr] I. KINGS
to Hiram year by year. And the Lord gave Solomon
wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace
between Hiram and Solomon ; and they two made a
league together.
And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel ;
and the levy was thirty thousand men. And he sent
them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses:
a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at
home: and Adoniram was over the levy. And Solo-
mon had threescore and ten thousand that bare bur-
dens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the moun-
tains; beside the chief of Solomon's officers which
were over the work, three thousand and three hun-
dred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the
work. And the king commanded, and they brought
great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay
the foundation of the house. And Solomon's builders
and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stone-
squarers : so they prepared timber and stones to build
the house.
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eigh-
tieth year after the children of Israel were come out
of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's
reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the se-
cond month, that he began to build the house of the
Lord. And the house which king Solomon built for
[ 1007 ]
I. KINGS [VI
the Lord, the length thereof was threescore cubits,
and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height
thereof thirty cubits. And the porcli before the tem-
ple of the house, twenty cubits was the length there-
of, according to the breadth of the house; and ten
cubits was the breadth thereof before the house. And
for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
And against the wall of the house he built cham-
bers round about, against the walls of the house round
about, both of the temple and of the oracle : and he
made chambers round about: the nethermost cham-
ber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cu-
bits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad : for
without in the wall of the house he made narrowed
rests round about, that the beams should not be fas-
tened in the walls of the house. And the house, when
it was in building, was built of stone made ready be-
fore it was brought thither: so that there was nei-
ther hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in
the house, while it was in building. The door for the
middle chamber was in the right side of the house:
and they went up with winding stairs into the middle
chamber, and out of the middle into the third. So he
built the house, and finished it; and covered the house
with beams and boards of cedar. And then he built
chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and
[ 1008 ]
I
VI] I. KINGS
they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, say-
ing, Concerning this house which thou art in build-
ing, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my
judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk
in them; then will I perform my word with thee,
which I spake unto David thy father: and I will dwell
among the children of Israel, and will not forsake
my people Israel. So Solom.on built the house, and
finished it. And he built the walls of the house within
with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and
the walls of the cieling : and he covered them on the
inside with wood, and covered ^he floor of the house
with planks of fir. And he built twenty cubits on the
sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with
boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even
for the oracle, even for the most holy place. And the
house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits
long. And the cedar of the house within was carved
with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there
was no stone seen. And the oracle he prepared in the
house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of
the Lord. And the oracle in the forepart was twenty
cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and
twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid
it with pure gold ; and so covered the altar which was
[ 1009 ]
I. KINGS [VI
of cedar. So Solomon overlaid the house within with
pure gold : and he made a partition by the chains of
gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he
had finished all the house: also the whole altar that
was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.
And within the oracle he made two cherubims of
olive tree, each ten cubits high. And five cubits was
the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other
wing of the cherub : from the uttermost part of the
one wing unto the uttermost part of the other w^ere
ten cubits. And the other cherub was ten cubits : both
the cherubims were of one measure and one size.
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so
was it of the other cherub. And he set the cherubims
within the inner house : and they stretched forth the
wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one
touched the one wall , and the wing of the other cherub
touched the other wall ; and their wings touched one
another in the midst of the house. And he overlaid
the cherubims with gold. And he carved all the walls
of the house round about with carved figures of che-
rubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and
without. And the floor of the house he overlaid with
gold, within and without.
And for the entering of the oracle he made doors
[ 1010 ]
vm I. KINGS
of olive tree : the lintel and side posts were a fifth part
of the wall. The two doors also were of olive tree ;
and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims
and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them
with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and
upon the palm trees. So also made he for the door
of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of
the wall. And the two doors were of fir tree: the two
leaves of the one door were folding, and the two
leaves of the other door were folding. And he carved
thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers :
and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved
work.
And he built the inner court with three rows of
hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
In the fourth year was the foundation of the house
of the Lord laid, in the month Zif : and in the eleventh
year, in the month Bui, which is the eighth month,
was the house finished throughout all the parts there-
of, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he
seven years in building it.
But Solomon was building his own house thirteen
years, and he finished all his house.
He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon ;
the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the
breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof
[ 1011 ]
I. KINGS [VH
thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with ce-
dar beams upon the pillars. And it was covered with
cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five
pillars, fifteen in a row. And there were windows in
three rows, and light was against light in three ranks.
And all the doors and posts were square, with the
windows: and light was against light in three ranks.
And he made a porch of pillars ; the length thereof
was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cu-
bits : and the porch was before them : and the other
pillars and the thick beam were before them. Then
he made a porch for the throne where he might
judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was co-
vered with cedar from one side of the floor to the
other.
And his house where he dwelt had another court
within the porch, which was of the like work. Solo-
mon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter,
whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch. All
these were of costly stones, according to the mea-
sures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and
without, even from the foundation unto the coping,
and so on the outside toward the great court. And
the foundation was of costly. stones, even great stones,
stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. And
above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed
[ 1012 j
VII] I. KINGS
stones, and cedars. And the great court round about
was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of
cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house
of the Lord, and for the porch of the house.
i\nd king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of
Tyre. He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali,
and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass:
and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding,
and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came
to king Solomon, and wrought all his work. For he
cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece:
and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them
about. And he made two chapiters of molten brass,
to set upon the tops of the pillars : the height of the
one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the
other chapiter was five cubits: and nets of checker
work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters
which were upon the top of the pillars ; seven for the
one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter. And
he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon
the one network, to cover the chapiters that were
upon the top, with pomegranates : and so did he for
the other chapiter. And the chapiters that were upon
the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch,
four cubits. And the chapiters upon the two pillars
had pomegranates also above, over against the belly
[ 1013 ]
I. KINGS [VII
which was by the network: and the pomegranates
were two hundred in rows round about upon the other
chapiter. And he set up the pillars in the porch of the
temple: and he set up the right pillar^ and called the
name thereof Jachin : and he set up the left pillar, and
called the name thereof Boaz. And upon the top of
the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pil-
lars finished.
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the
one brim to the other : it was round all about, and his
height was five cubits : and a line of thirty cubits did
compass it round about. And under the brim of it
round about there were knops compassing it, ten in
a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops
were cast in two rows, when it was cast. It stood upon
twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and
three looking toward the west, and three looking to-
ward the south, and three looking toward the east:
and the sea was set above upon them, and all their
hinder parts were inward. And it was an hand breadth
thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim
of a cup, with flowers of lilies : it contained two thou-
sand baths.
And he made ten bases of brass ; four cubits was
the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth
thereof, and three cubits the height of it. And the
[ 1014 ]
tm I. KINGS
work of the bases was on this manner : they had bor-
ders, and the borders were between the ledges: and
on the borders that were between the ledges were
lions, oxen, and cherubims : and upon the ledges there
was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen
were certain additions made of thin work. And every
base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass : and
the four corners thereof had undersetters : under the
laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every
addition. And the mouth of it within the chapiter and
above was a cubit : but the mouth thereof was round
after the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and
also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their
borders, foursquare, not round. And under the bor-
ders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the wheels
were joined to the base : and the height of a wheel
was a cubit and half a cubit. And the work of the
wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel : their
axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their
spokes, were all molten. And there were four under-
setters to the four corners of one base : and the un-
dersetters were of the very base itself. And in the top
of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit
high : and on the top of the base the ledges thereof
and the borders thereof were of the same. For on the
plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders there-
[ 1015 ]
I. KINGS [VII
of, h|e graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, ac-
cording to the proportion of every one, and additions
round about. After this manner he made the ten bases :
all of them had one casting, one measure, and one
size.
Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver con-
tained forty baths : and every laver was four cubits :
and upon every one of the ten bases one laver. And
he put five bases on the right side of the house, and
five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea
on the right side of the house eastward over against
the south.
And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and
the basons. So Hiram made an end of doing all the
work that he made king Solomon for the house of the
Lord: the two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapi-
ters that were on the top of the two pillars ; and the
two networks, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters
which were upon the top of the pillars ; and four hun-
dred pomegranates for the two networks, even two
rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the
two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars ;
and the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases; and
one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea ; and the pots,
and the shovels, and the basons : and all these vessels,
which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of
[ 1016 j
VIII] I. KINGS
the Lord, were of bright brass. In the plain of Jordan
did the king cast them, in the clay ground between
Succoth and Zarthan. And Solomon left all the ves-
sels unweighed, because they were exceeding many :
neither was the weight of the brass found out. And
Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the
house of the Lord: the altar of gold, and the table
of gold, whereupon the shewbread was, and the can-
dlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five
on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and
the lamps, and the tongs of gold, and the bowls, and
the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the
censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both
for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place,
and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple.
So was ended all the work that king Solomon made
for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in
the things which David his father had dedicated ; even
the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put
among the treasures of the house of the Lord.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and
all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of
the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusa-
lem, that they might bring up the ark of the cove-
nant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is
Zion. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves
[ 1017 ]
I. KINGS [VIII
unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Etha-
nim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders
of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. And
they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the taber-
nacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels
that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests
and the Levites bring up. And king Solomon, and all
the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto
him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep
and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for
multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the
covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle
of the house, to the most holy place, even under the
wings of the cherubim s. For the cherubim s spread
forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the
cherubim s covered the ark and the staves thereof
above. And they drew out the staves, that the ends of
the staves were seen out in the holy place before the
oracle, and they were not seen without: and there
they are unto this day. There was nothing in the ark
save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there
at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the
children of Israel, when they came out of the land of
Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests were
come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the
house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand
[ lois ]
VIII] I. KINGS
to minister because of the cloud : for the glory of the
Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would
dwell in the thick darkness. I have surely built thee
an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide
in for ever. And the king turned his face about, and
blessed all the congregation of Israel : ( and all the
congregation of Israel stood ; ) and he said. Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel, which spake with his mouth
unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled
it, saying. Since the day that I brought forth my
people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all
the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name
might be therein ; but I chose David to be over my
people Israel. And it was in the heart of David my
father to build an house for the name of the Lord God
of Israel. And the Lord said unto David my father,
Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house un-
to my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house ; but thy
son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall
build the house unto my name. And the Lord hath
performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up
in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne
of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built an
house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. And
[ 1019 ]
I. KINGS [VIII
I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the co-
venant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers,
when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in
the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and
spread forth his hands toward heaven: and he said,
Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in hea-
ven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant
and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee
with all their heart: who hast kept with thy servant
David my father that thou promisedst him : thou spak-
est also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with
thine hand, as it is this day. Therefore now. Lord God
of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that
thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee
a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel ; so
that thy children take heed to their way, that they
walk before me as thou hast walked before me. And
now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be
verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David
my father. But will God indeed dwell on the earth .''
behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot
contain thee; how much less this house that I have
builded ? Yet have thou respe61: unto the prayer of
thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God,
to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, wliich thy
[ 1020 ]
VIII] I. KINGS
servant prayeth before thee to day : that thine eyes
may be open toward this house night and day, even
toward the place of which thou hast said, My name
shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the
prayer which thy servant shall make toward this
place. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy ser-
vant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray
toward this place : and hear thou in heaven thy dwell-
ing place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an
oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the
oath come before thine altar in this house: then hear
thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, con-
demning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head;
and justifying the righteous, to give him according to
his righteousness.
When thy people Israel be smitten down before
the enemy, because they have sinned against thee,
and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and
pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy
people Israel, and bring them again unto the land
which thou gavest unto their fathers.
When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, be-
cause they have sinned against thee ; if they pray to-
ward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from
[ 1021 ]
I. KINGS [VIII
their sin, when thou affli6lest them: then hear thou
in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and
of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good
way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon
thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an
inheritance.
If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence,
blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller;
if their enemy besiege them in the land of their ci-
ties; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there
be ; what prayer and supplication soever be made by
any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know
every man the plague of his own heart, and spread
forth his hands toward this house : then hear thou in
heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and
give to every man according to his ways, whose heart
thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest
the hearts of all the children of men ; ) that they may
fear thee all the days that they live in the land
which thou gavest unto our fathers. Moreover con-
cerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel,
but Cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake ;
(for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy
strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when
he shall come and pray toward this house ; hear thou
in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all
[ 1022 jl
viri] I. KINGS
that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people
of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do
thy people Israel ; and that they may know that this
house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
If thy people go out to battle against their enemy,
whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray
unto the Lord toward the city which thou hast chosen,
and toward the house that I have built for thy name :
then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their sup-
plication, and maintain their cause. If they sin against
thee, ( for there is no man that sinneth not, ) and thou
be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy,
so that they carry them away captives unto the land
of the enemy, far or near; yet if they shall bethink
themselves in the land whither they were carried cap-
tives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee
in the land of them that carried them captives, say-
ing. We have sinned, and have done perversely, we
have committed wickedness ; and so return unto thee
with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land
of their enemies, which led them away captive, and
pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest
unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen,
and the house which I have built for thy name : then
hear thou their prayer and their supplication in hea-
ven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
[ 1023 ]
I. KINGS [VIII
and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee,
and all their transgressions wherein they have trans-
gressed against thee, and give them compassion be-
fore them who carried them captive, that they may
have compassion on them : for they be thy people, and
thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of
Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: that
thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy
servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Is-
rael, to hearken unto them in all that they call for un-
to thee. For thou didst separate them from among all
the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou
spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou
broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
And it was so, that when Solomon had made an
end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto
the Ix>rd, he arose from before the altar of the Lord,
from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up
to heaven. And he stood, and blessed all the congre-
gation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, Blessed be
the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel,
according to all that he promised : there hath not failed
one word of all his good promise, which he promised
by the hand of Moses his servant. The Lord our God
be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not
leave us, nor forsake us : that he may incline our hearts
[ 1024 ]
VIII] I. KINGS
unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his
commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments,
which he commanded our fathers. And let these my
words, wherewith I have made supplication before
the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and
night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and
the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the mat-
ter shall require : that all the people of the earth may
know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
Let your heart therefore be perfe61: with the Lord our
God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his com-
mandments, as at this day.
And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sa-
crifice before the Lord. And Solomon offered a sacri-
fice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord,
two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and
twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the chil-
dren of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. The
same day did the king hallow the middle of the court
that was before the house of the Lord : for there he
offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat
of the peace offerings : because the brasen altar that
was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt
offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace
offerings. And at that time Solomon held a feast, and
all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the
I [ 1025 ] 2k
I. KINGS [IX
entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, be-
fore the Lord our God, seven days and seven days,
even fourteen days. On the eighth day he sent the peo^
pie away: and they blessed the king, and went unto
their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good-
ness that the Lord had done for David his servant,
and for Israel his people.
And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished
the building of the house of the Lord, and the king's
house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased
to do, that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second
time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And
the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and
thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I
have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put
my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine
heart shall be there perpetually. And if thou wilt walk
before me, as David thy father walked, in integrit}^
of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all
that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my sta-
tutes and my judgments: then I will establish the
throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I pro-
mised to David thy father, saying, There shall not
fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. But if ye
shall at all turn from following me, ye or your chil-
dren, and will not keep my commandments and my
[ 1026 ]
IX] I. KINGS
statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve
other gods, and worship them : then will I cut off Is-
rael out of the land which I have given them ; and
this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will
I cast out of my sight ; and Israel shall be a proverb
and a byword among all people: and at this house,
which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be
astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say. Why
hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and to this
house ? And they shall answer. Because they forsook
the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers
out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon
other gods, and have worshipped them, and served
them : therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all
this evil.
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years,
when Solomon had built the two houses, the house
of the Lord, 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 ci-
ties in the land of Galilee. And Hiram came out from
Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him :
and they pleased h^m not. And he said. What cities
are these which thou hast given me, my brother?
And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
[ 1027 ]
I. KINGS [IX
And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solo-
mon raised; for to build the house of the Lord, and
his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem,
and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. For 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 present unto his daugli-
ter, Solomon's wife. And Solomon built Gezer, and
Beth-horon the nether, and Baalath, and Tadmor in
the wilderness, in the land, and all the cities of store
that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and ci-
ties for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired
to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the
land of his dominion. And all the people that were
left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and
Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
their children that were left after them in the land,
whom the children of Israel also were not able ut-
terly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tri-
bute of bondservice unto this day. But of the children
of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen : but they
were men of war, and his servants, and his princes,
and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his
horsemen. These were the chief of the officers that
were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty,
[ 10528 ]
X] I. KINGS
which 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 the Lord, and he burnt incense upon the
altar that was before the Lord, 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 when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame
of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she
came to prove him with hard questions. And she came
to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that
bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones :
and when she was come to Solomon, she communed
with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon
told her all her questions : there was not any thing
hid from the king, which he told her not. And when
[ 1029 ]
I. KINGS [X
the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom,
and the house that he had built, and the meat of his
table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attend-
ance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cup-
bearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the
house of the Lord ; there was no more spirit in her.
And she said to the king, It was a true report that I
heard in mine own land of thy a6f s and of thy wis-
dom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came,
and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was
not told me : thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth
the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy
are these thy servants, which stand continually before
thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord
thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the
throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for
ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment
and justice. And she gave the king an hundred and
twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store,
and precious stones : there came no more such abun-
dance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba
gave 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 the Jjord, and for the king's house, harps
[ 1030 ]
X] I. KINGS
also and psalteries for singers: there came no such
almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. And king
Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire,
whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon
gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went
to her own country, she and her servants.
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in
one year was six hundred threescore and six talents
of gold, beside that he had of the merchantmen, and
of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the
kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of
beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one
target. And he made three hundred shields of beaten
gold ; three pound 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 best gold. The throne had six
steps, and the top of the throne was round behind :
and there were stays on either side on the place of
the seat, and two lions stood 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 all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of
gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of
[ 1031 ]
I. KINGS [X
Lebanon were of pure gold ; none were of silver: it
was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the
navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy
of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and
apes, and peacocks. So king Solomon exceeded all
the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his
wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And they
brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and
vessels ofgold, and garments, and armour, and spices,
horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horse-
men : and he had a thousand and four hundred cha-
riots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he be-
stowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at
Jerusalem. And the king made silver to be in Jerusa-
lem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the syco-
more trees that are in the vale, for abundance.
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt,
and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the
linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went
out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and
an horse for an hundred and fifty : and so for all the
kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did
they bring them out by their means.
XI] I. KINGS
Burking Solomon loved many strange women, to-
gether with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the
Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hit-
tites ; of the nations concerning which the Lord said
unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them,
neither shall they come in unto you : for surely they
will turn away your heart after their gods : Solomon
clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred
wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and
his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass,
when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away
his heart after other gods : and his heart was not per-
fe6l with the Lord his God, as was the heart of Da-
vid his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the
goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abo-
mination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil
in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the
Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build
an high place for Chemosh,the abomination of Moab,
in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech,
the abomination of the children of Ammon. And like-
wise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt in-
cense and sacrificed unto their gods.
And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because
his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel,
which had appeared unto him twice, and had com-
I ' . [ 1033 ] 2k2
I. KINGS [XI
manded him concerning this thing, that he should not
go after other gods: but he kept not that which the
Lord commanded. Wherefore the Lord said unto So-
lomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and tliou
hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I
have commanded thee, I will surely rend the king-
dom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Not-
withstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy
father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy
son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom;
but will give one tribe to thy son for David my ser-
vant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have
chosen. 7/ foat
And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solo-
mon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed
in Edom. For it came to pass, when David was in
Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up
to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in
Edom ; ( for six months did Joab remain there with
all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom : )
that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his fa-
ther's servants with him, to go into Egypt ; Hadad be-
ing yet a little child. And they arose out of Midian,
and came to Paran : and they took men with them
outof Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoli
king of Egypt ; which gave him an house, and ap-
[ 10i31< J
XI] I. KINGS
pointed him vi6luals, and gave him land. And Hadad
found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that
he gave him to wife the sister of his ow^n wife, the
sister of Tahpenes the queen. And the sister of Tah-
penes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpe-
nes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath w^as
in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.
And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept
with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host
was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that
I may go to mine own country. Then Pharaoh said
unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that,
behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country.^
And he answered. Nothing : howbeit let me go in any
wise.
And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon
the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadad-
ezer king of Zobah: and he gathered men unto him,
and became captain over a band, when David slew
them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and
dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. And he was
an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, be-
side the mischief that Hadad did : and he abhorred Is-
rael, and reigned over Syria.
And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of
Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name
[ 1035 ]
I. KINGS [XI
was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his
hand against the king. And this was the cause that
he lifted up his hand against the king : Solomon built
Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David
his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man
of valour : and Solomon seeing the young man that
he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the
charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass
at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem,
that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in
the way ; and he had clad himself with a new gar-
ment; and they two were alone in the field: and Ahi-
jah caught the new garment that was on him, and
rent it in twelve pieces: and he said to Jeroboam,
Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God
of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the
hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
(but he shall have one tribe for my servant David's
sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have
chosen out of all the tribes of Israel : ) because that
they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ash-
toreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the
god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the chil-
dren of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways,
to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my
statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
[ 1036 ]
XI] I. KINGS
Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his
hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his
life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, be-
cause he kept my commandments and my statutes :
but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and
will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his
son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may
have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city
which I have chosen me to put my name there. And
I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all
that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I
command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do
that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my
commandments, as David my servant did; that I will
be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built
for David, and will give Israel unto thee. And I will
for this affli6l the seed of David, but not for ever. So-
lomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jero-
boam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of
Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
And the rest of the a6ls of Solomon, and all that he
did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book
of the a6ls of Solomon ? And the time that Solomon
reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried
[ 1037 ]
I. KINGS [XII
in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son
reigned in his stead.
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel
were come to Shechem to make him king. And it
came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who
was yet in Egypt, heard of it, ( for he was fled from
the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt
in Egypt ; ) that they sent and called him. And Jero-
boam and all the congregation of Israel came, and
spake unto Rehoboam, saying. Thy father made our
yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the griev-
ous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which
he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. And
he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then
come again to me. And the people departed. j
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men;
that stood before Solomon his father while he yet
lived, and said. How do ye advise that I may answer
this people .? And they spake unto him, saying. If thou
wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt
serve them, and answer them, and speak good words
to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But
he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they
had given him, and consulted with the young men
that were grown up with him, and which stood be-
fore him: and he said unto them, What counsel give
[ 10J38 ]
XII] I. KINGS
ye that we may answer this people, who have spo-
ken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father
did put upon us lighter? And the young men that
were grown up with him spake unto him, saying,
Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake un-
to thee, saying. Thy father made our yoke heavy,
but make thou it lighter unto us ; thus shalt thou say
unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my
father's loins. And now whereas my father did lade
you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my
father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chas-
tise you with scorpions.
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Reho-
boam the third day, as the king had appointed, say-
ing. Come to me again the third day. And the king
answered the people roughly, and forsook the old
men's counsel that they gave him ; and spake to them
after the counsel of the young men, saying, My fa-
ther made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your
yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I
will chastise you with scorpions. Wherefore the king
hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was
from the Lord, that he might perform his saying,
which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto
Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened
[ 10^9 ]
I. KINGS [XII
not unto them, the people answered the king, say-
ing. What portion have we in David? neither have
we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O
Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel
departed unto their tents. But as for the children of
Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam
reigned over them. Then king Rehoboam sent Ado-
ram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned
him with stones, tliat he died. Therefore king Reho-
boam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee
to Jerusalem. So Israel rebelled against the house of
David unto this day. And it came to pass, when all Is-
rael heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they
sent and called him unto the congregation, and made
him king overall Israel : there was none that followed
the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, lie
assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of
Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand cho-
sen men, which were warriors, to fight against the
house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Reho-
boam the son of Solomon. But the word of God came
unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, Speak unto
Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and
unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the
remnant of the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord,
[ 1040 J
.
XII] I. KINGS
Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren
the children of Israel : return every man to his house ;
for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore
to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, ac-
cording to the word of the Lord.
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim,
and dwelt therein ; and went out from thence, and
built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart. Now
shall the kingdom return to the house of David: if
this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the
Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people
turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king
of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Re-
hoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took
counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto
them. It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem:
behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out
of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el,
and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a
sin : for the people went to worship before the one,
even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places,
and made priests of the lowest of the people, which
were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained
a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of
the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and
he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrifi-
[ 1041 ]
I. KINGS [XIII
cing unto the calves that he had made : and he placed
in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had
made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made
in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even
in the month which he had devised of his own heart ;
and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel : and
he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
V' And, behold, there came a man of God out of Ju-
dah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-el : and Je-
roboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he
cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and
saidjO altar, altar, thus saith the Lord : Behold, a child
shaJl be born unto the house of David, Josiah by
name ; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the
high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's
bones shall be burnt upon thee. And he gave a sign
the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord
hath spoken: Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the
ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. And it
came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying
of the man of God, which had cried against the altar
in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar,
saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he
put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not
pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and
the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the
[ 10-i2 ]
XIII] I. KINGS
sign which the man of God had given by the word
of the Lord. And the king answered and said unto
the man of God, Intreat now the face of the Lord
thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be re-
stored me again. And the man of God besought the
Lord, and the king's hand was restored him again,
and became as it was before. And the king said unto
the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh
thyself, and I will give thee a reward. And the man
of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half
thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I
eat bread nor drink water in this place : for so was it
charged me by the word of the Lord, saying. Eat no
bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same
way that thou camest. So he went another way, and
returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el.
Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el ; and
his sons came and told him all the works that the
man of God had done that day in Beth-el : the words
which he had spoken unto the king, them they told
also to their father. And their father said unto them,
What way went he ? For his sons had seen what way
the man of God went, which came from Judah. And
he said unto his sons. Saddle me the ass. So the}^ sad-
dled him the ass : and he rode thereon, and went af-
ter the man of God, and found him sitting under an
[ 1043 ]
I. KINGS [xni
oak : and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God
that earnest from Judah? And he said, I am. Then he
said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in
with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water
with thee in this place: for it was said to me by the
word of the Lord, Thou shait eat no bread nor drink
water there, nor turn again to go by the way that
thou camest. He said unto him, I am a prophet also as
thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of
the Lord, saying. Bring him back with thee into thine
house, that lie may eat bread and drink water. But
he lied unto him. So he went back with him, and did
eat bread in his house, and drank water.
And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that
the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that
brought him back : and he cried unto the man of God
that came from Judah, saying. Thus saith the Lord,
Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the
Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the
Lord thy God commanded thee, but camest back, and
hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of
the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and
drink no water ; thy carcase shall not come unto the
sepulchre of thy fathers.
And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and
[ 1044 ]
XIII] I. KINGS
after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass,
to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.
And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way,
and slew him : and his carcase was cast in the way,
and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the car-
case. And, behold, men passed by, and saw the car-
case cast in the way, and the lion standing by the
carcase : and they came and told it in the city where
the old prophet dwelt. And when the prophet that
brought him back from the way heard thereof, he
said. It is the man of God, who was disobedient un-
to the word of the Lord : therefore the Lord hath de-
livered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and
slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which
he spake unto him. And he spake to his sons, say-
ing. Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. And
he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and
the ass and the lion standing by the carcase : the lion
had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. And the
prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and
laid it upon the ass, and brought it back : and the old
prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.
And he laid his carcase in his own grave ; and they
mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! And
it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake
to his sons, saying. When I am dead, then bury me
[ 1045 ]
I. KINGS [XIV
m the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried ;
lay my bones beside his bones : for the saying which
he cried by the word of the Lord against the altar in
Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places
which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come
to pass.
After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his
evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people
priests of the high places: whosoever would, he con-
secrated him, and he became one of the priests of
the high places. And this thing became sin unto the
house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy
it from off the face of the earth. n
At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
And Jeroboam said to his wife. Arise, I pray thee, and
disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife
of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is
Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be
king over this people. And take with thee ten loaves,
and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him:
he shall tell thee what shall become of the child. And
Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shi-
loh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could
not see ; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.
And the Lord said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife
of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son ;
[ 1046 ]
XIV] I. KINGS
for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her:
for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall
feign herself to be another woman. And it was so,
when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came
in at the door, that lie said, Come in, thou wife of Je-
roboam ; why feign est thou thyself to be another ? for
I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. Go, tell Jero-
boam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel^gl^^rasmuch
as I exalted thee from among the people, and made
thee prince over my people Israel, and rent the king-
dom away from the house of David, and gave it thee:
and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who
kept my commandments, and who followed me with
all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine
eyes ; but hast done evil above all that were before
thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods,
and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast
cast me behind thy back: therefore, behold, I will
bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut
off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall,
and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will
take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as
a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. Him that
dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat ; and
him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat:
for the Lord hath spoken it. Arise thou therefore, get
[ 1047 J
I. KINGS [XIV
thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter
into the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall
mourn for him, and bury him : for he only of Jero-
boam shall come to the grave, because in him there
is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Is-
rael in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover the Lord
shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off
the housQjix^ Jeroboam that day : but what.? even now.
For the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken
in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this
good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall
scatter them beyond the river, because they have
made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger. And
he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jero-
boam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin. And
Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to
Tirzah : and when she came to the threshold of the
door, the child died ; and they buried him ; and all
Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the
Lord, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahi-
jah the prophet.
And the rest of the a6ls of Jeroboam, how he
warred, and how he reigned, beliold, they are writ-
ten in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Is-
rael. And the days which Jeroboam reigned were
two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers,
[ 1048 ]
xivi I. KINGS
and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Ju-
dah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Je-
rusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all
the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mo-
ther's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Judah
did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked
him to jealousy with their sins which they had com-
mitted, above all that their fathers had done. For they
also built them high places, and images, and groves,
on every high hill, and under every green tree. And
there were also sodomites in the land : and they did
according to all the abominations of the nations which
the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Re-
hoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against
Jerusalem : and he took away the treasures of the
house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's
house; he even took away all: and he took away all
the shields of gold which Solomon had made. And
king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields,
and committed them unto the hands of the chief of
the guard, which kept the door of the king's house.
And it was so, when the king went into the house
of the Lord, that the guard bare them, and brought
[ 1049 ]
I. KINGS [XV
them back into the guard chamber. i
Now the rest of the a6ls of Rehoboam,and all that
he did, are they not written in the book of the chro-
nicles of the kings of Judah ? And there was war be-
tween Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. And
Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried
with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's
name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his
son reigned in his stead.
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the
sonof Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. Three years
reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Maachah,the daughter of Abishalom. And he walked
in all the sins of his father, which he had done be-
fore him : and his heart was not perfe6f with the Lord
his God, as the heart of David his father. Neverthe-
less for David's sake did the Lord his God give him
a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and
to establish Jerusalem : because David did that which
was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside
from any thing that he commanded him all the days
of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jero-
boam all the days of his life. Now the rest of the a6is
of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah ?
[ 1050 ]
XV] I. KINGS
And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
And Abijam slept with his fathers ; and they buried
him in the city of David : and Asa his son reigned in
his stead.
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Is-
rael reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years
reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And Asa did
that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did
David his father. And he took away the sodomites
out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fa-
thers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even
her he removed from being queen, because she had
made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol,
and burnt it by the brock Kidron. But the high places
were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was per-
fe61 with the Lord all his days. And he brought in the
things which his father had dedicated, and the things
which himself had dedicated, into the house of the
Lord, silver, and gold, and vessels.
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king
of Israel all their days. And Baashakingof Israel went
up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might
not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Ju-
dah. Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that
were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord,
[ 1051 ]
I. KINGS [XV
and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered
them into the hand of his servants : and king Asa sent
them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of
Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, say-
ing. There is a league between me and thee, and be-
tween my father and thy father: behold,! have sent
unto thee a present of silver and gold ; come and break
thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may
depart from me. So Ben-hadad hearkened unto king
Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had
against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan,
and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all
thelandofNaphtali. And it came to pass, when Baasha
heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and
dwelt in Tirzah. Then king Asa made a proclama-
tion throughout all Judah ; none was exempted : and
they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber
thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa
built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. The
rest of all the a6ls of Asa, and all his might, and all
that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah ? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was
diseased in his feet. And Asa slept with his fathers,
and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his
father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
[ 1052 ]
XV] I. KINGS
And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign
over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah,
and reigned over Israel two years. And he did evil
in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of
his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel
to sin.
And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Is-
sachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him
at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines ; for
Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. Even
in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay
him, and reigned in his stead. And it came to pass,
when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Je-
roboam ; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed,
until he had destroy ed him, according unto the saying
of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the
Shilonite : because of the sins of Jeroboam which he
sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provo-
cation wherewith he provoked the Lord God of Israel
to anger.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Nadab, and all that he
did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel .^ And there was war between
Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. In the
third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son
of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty
[ 1053 ]
I. KINGS [XVI
and four years. And he did evil in the sight of the
Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his
sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son
of Hanani against Baasha, saying, Forasmuch as I
exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince
over my people Israel ; and thou hast walked in the
way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to
sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; behold, I
will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the pos-
terity of his house; and will make thy house like the
house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Him that dieth
of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that
dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Baasha, and what he did,
and his might, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel ? So Baasha slept with
his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his
son reigned in his stead. And also by the hand of the
prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of
the Lord against Baasha, and against his house, even
for all the evil that he did in the sight of the Ix>rd,
in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands,
in being like the house of Jeroboam ; and because he
killed him.
In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah
[ 1054 ]
XVI J I. KINGS
began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in
Tirzah, two years. And his servant Zimri, captain of
half his chariots, conspired against him, as he w^as in
Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza
steward of his house in Tirzah. And Zimri went in
and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and se-
venth year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his
stead.
And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as
soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house
of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against
a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, ac-
cording to the word of the Lord, which he spake
against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, for all the sins
of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by vv^hich they
sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in pro-
voking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their va-
nities. Now the rest of the a61:s of Elah, and all that
he did, are they not written in the book of the chro-
nicles of the kings of Israel ?
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Ju-
dah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the
people were encamped against Gibbethon, which be-
longed to the Philistines. And the people that were
encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath
[ 1055 ]
I. KINGS [XVI
also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri,
the captain of the host, king over Israel that da}^ in
the camp. And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and
all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. And it
came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was ta-
ken, that he went into the palace of the king's house,
and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and
died, for his sins which he sinned in doing evil in
the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jero-
boam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to
sin. Now the rest of the a6ls of Zimri, and his trea-
son that he wrought, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Israel i
Then were the people of Israel divided into two
parts : half of the people followed Tibni the son of
Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
But the people that followed Omri prevailed against
the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath : so
Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah
began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six
years reigned he in Tirzah. And he bought the hill
Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built
on the hill, and called the name of the city which he
built, after the name of Shemer, owner of tlie hill,
Samaria.
[ 1056 ]
XVI] I. KINGS
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord,
and did worse than all that were before him. For he
walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to pro-
voke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their va-
nities. Now the rest of the a6ls of Omri which he did,
and his might that he shewed, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Sa-
maria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of
Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Is-
rael: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel
in Samaria twenty and two j^ears. And Ahab the son
of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all
that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had
been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Je-
roboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jeze-
bel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians,
and went and served Baal, and w^orshipped him. And
he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal,
which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a
grove ; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God
of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that
were before him.
In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho:
I [ 1057 ] 2l
I. KINGS [XVII
he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn,
and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Se-
gub, according to the word of the Lord, which he
spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabit-
ants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of
Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be
dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide
thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook ;
and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
So he went and did according unto the v/ord of the
Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith,
that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him
bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh
in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it
came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up,
because there had been no rain in the land.
And the word of the Lord came unto him. saying.
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zi-
don, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a
widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and
went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of
the city, behold, the widow woman was there gath-
[ 1058 ]
XVII] I. KINGS
ering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch
me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may
drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to
her, and said. Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of
bread in thine hand. And she said, As the Lord thy
God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal
in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I
am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress
it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
And Elijah said unto her. Fear not ; go and do as thou
hast said : but make me thereof a little cake first, and
bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy
son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The bar-
rel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of
oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon
the earth. And she went and did according to the say-
ing of Elijah : and she, and he, and her house, did eat
many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, nei-
ther did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word
of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.
And it came to pass after these things, that the son
of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick ;
and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath
left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I
to do with thee, O thou man of God.^ art thou come
unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay
[ 1059 ]
I. KINGS [XVIII
my son? And he said unto her, Give me thy son.
And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him
up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his
own bed. And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O
Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the
widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son ? And
he stretched himself upon the child three times, and
cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I
pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah ; and the soul
of the child came into him again, and he revived.
And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out
of the chamber into the house, and delivered him un-
to his mother: and Elijah said. See, thy son hveth.
And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know
that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the
Lord in thy mouth is truth.
And it came to pass after many days, that the word
of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying,
Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain up-
on the earth. And Elijah went to shew himself unto
Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. And
Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his
house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: for
it was so, when Jezebel cut off the propliets of the
Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and
[ lOGO ]
XVIII] I. KINGS
hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread
and water. ) And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into
the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all
brooks : peradventure we may find grass to save the
horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the
beasts. So they divided the land between them to pass
throughout it: Ahab v/ent one way by himself, and
Obadiah went another way by himself.
And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah
met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and
said. Art thou that my lord Elijah ? And he answered
him, I am: go, tell thy lord. Behold, Elijah is here.
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou would-
est deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay
me^ As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation
or kingdom , whither my lord hath not sent to seek
thee: and when they said. He is not there; he took
an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found
thee not. And now thou say est. Go, tell thy lord.
Behold, Elijah is here. And it shall come to pass, as
soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the
Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so
when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee,
he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord
from my youth. Was it not told my lord what I did
when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I
[ 1061 ]
I. KINGS [XVIII
hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty
in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? And
now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is
here : and he shall slay me. And Elijah said, As the
Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will
surely shew myself unto him to day. So Obadiah went
to meet Ahab, and told him : and Ahab went to meet
Elijah.
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that
Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Is-
rael ? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel ;
but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have for-
saken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast
followed Baalim. Now therefore send, and gather to
me all Israel unto mount Carrnel, and the prophets
of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of
the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's ta-
ble. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and
gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said. How
long halt ye between two opinions ? if the Lord be
God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And
the people answered him not a word. Then said Eli-
jah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet
of the Lord ; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and
fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks;
[ 106^2 ]
I
XVIII] I. KINGS
and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and
cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire
under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it
on wood, and put no fire under: and call ye on the
name of your gods, and I will call on the name of
the Lord : and the God that answereth by fire, let him
be God. And all the people answered and said. It is
well spoken. And Elijah said unto the prophets of
Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and
dress it first ; for ye are many ; and call on the name
of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took
the bullock which was given them , and they dressed
it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even
until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no
voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon
the altar which was made. And it came to pass at
noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said. Cry aloud:
for he is a god ; either he is talking, or he is pursu-
ing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleep-
eth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and
cut themselves after their manner with knives and
lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it
came to pass, when midday was past, and they pro-
phesied until the time of the offering of the evening
sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to an-
swer, nor any that regarded. And Elijah said unto
[ 1063 ]
I. KINGS [xviii
all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people
came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the
Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve
stones, according to the number of the tribes of the
sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came,
saying, Israel shall be thy name: and with the stones
he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he
made a trench about the altar, as great as would con-
tain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in
order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on
the wood, and said. Fill four barrels with water, and
pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And
he said. Do it the second time. And they did it the
second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And
they did it the third time. And the water ran round
about the altar; and he filled the trench also with wa-
ter. And it came to pass at the time of the offering
of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came
near, and said. Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of
Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in
Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have
done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord,
hear me, that this people may know that thou art the
Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back
again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed
the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones,
[ 1064 ]
xixj I. KINGS
and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the
trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on
their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God;
the Lord, he is the God. And Elijah said unto them.
Take the prophets of Baal ; let not one of them es-
cape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them
down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and
drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So
Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went
up to the top of Carmel ; and he cast himself down
upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
and said to his servant. Go up now, look toward the
sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is
nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it
came to pass at the seventh time, that he said. Be-
hold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a
man's hand. And he said. Go up, say unto Ahab, Pre-
pare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain
stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while,
that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and
there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to
Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah ; and
he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the
entrance of Jezreel.
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done,
I [ 1065 ] 2l2
I. KINGS [XIX
and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the
sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah,
saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if
I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to
morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he
arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba,
which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
But he himself went a day's journey into the wil-
derness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree:
and he requested for himself that he might die; and
said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life;
for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay
and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel
touched him, and said unto him. Arise and eat. And
he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on
the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he
did eat and drink, and laid him. down again. And the
angel of the Lord came again the second time, and
touched him, and said. Arise and eat; because the
journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did
eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat
forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of
God.
And he came thither unto acave, and lodged there;
and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and
he said unto him. What doest thou here, Elijah.? And
[ 1066 ]
XIX] I. KINGS
he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God
of hosts : for the children of Israel have forsaken thy
covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left;
and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said.
Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.
And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and
strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces
the rocks before the Lord ; but the Lord was not in
the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the
Lord was not in the earthquake : and after the earth-
quake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and
after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when
Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his man-
tle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the
cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and
said. What doest thou here, Elijah.^ And he said, I
have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts:
because the children of Israel have forsaken thy co-
venant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy pro-
phets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left;
and they seek my life, to take it away. And the Lord
said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilder-
ness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint
Hazael to be king over Syria : and Jehu the son of
Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel : and
[ ^067 ]
I. KINGS [XX
Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou
anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to
pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall
Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of
Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thou-
sand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed un-
to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
So he departed thence, and found Elislia the son
of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of
oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah
passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he
left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said. Let me,
I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then
I will follow thee. And he said unto him. Go back
again : for what have I done to thee ? And he returned
back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew
them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of
the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat.
Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered
unto him.
And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his
host together: and there v/ere thirty and two kings
with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up
and besieged Samaria, and warred against it. And he
sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city,
and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad, Thy sil-
[ 1068 ]
XX] I. KINGS
ver and thy gold is mine ; thy wives also and thy chil-
dren, even the goodliest, are mine. And the king of
Israel answered and said. My lord, O king, accord-
ing to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have. And
the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh
Ben-hadad, saying. Although I have sent unto thee,
saying. Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy
gold, and thy wives, and thy children ; yet I will send
my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and
they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy
servants ; and it shall be, that vv^hatsoever is pleasant
in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take
it away. Then the king of Israel called all the elders
of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how
this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for
my wives, and for my children, and for my silver,
and for my gold ; and I denied him not. And all the
elders and all the people said unto him. Hearken not
unto him, nor consent. Wherefore he said unto the
messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king. All
that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I
will do: but this thing I may not do. And the mes-
sengers departed, and brought him word again. And
Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said. The gods do so
unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall
suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
[ 1069 ]
I. KINGS [XX
And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him,
Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself
as he that putteth it off. And it came to pass, when
Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking,
he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto
his servants. Set yourselves in array. And they set
themselves in array against the city.
And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab
king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou
seen all this great multitude.'^ behold, I will deliver
it into thine hand this day ; and thou shalt know that
I am the Lord. And Ahab said. By whom.^ And he
said, Thus saith the Lord, Even by the young men
of the princes of the provinces. Then he said. Who
shall order the battle.? And he answered, Thou. Then
he numbered the young men of the princes of the
provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two :
and after them he numbered all the people, even all
the children of Israel, being seven thousand. And
they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking
himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the
thirty and two kings that helped him. And the young
men of the princes of the provinces went out first ;
and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying.
There are men come out of Samaria. And he said.
Whether they be come out for peace, take them
[ 1070 ]
XX] I. KINGS
alive; or whether they be come out for war, take
them alive. So these young men of the princes of the
provinces came out of the city, and the army which
followed them. And they slew every one his man:
and the Syrians fled ; and Israel pursued them : and
Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with
the horsemen. And the king of Israel went out, and
smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians
with a great slaughter.
And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and
said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and
see what thou doest : for at the return of the year the
king of Syria will come up against thee. And the ser-
vants of the king of Syria said unto him. Their gods
are gods of the hills ; therefore they were stronger
than we; but let us fight against them in the plain,
and surely we shall be stronger than they. And do
this thing. Take the kings away, every man out of
his place, and put captains in their rooms: and num-
ber thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost,
horse for horse, and chariot for chariot : and we will
fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall
be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their
voice, and did so. And it came to pass at the return
of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians,
and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. And
[ 1071 ]
I. KINGS [XX
the children of Israel were numbered, and were all
present, and went against them : and the children of
Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of
kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
And there came a man of God, and spake unto the
king of Israel, and said. Thus saith the Lord, Because
the Syrians have said. The Lord is God of the hills,
but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I
deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and
ye shall know that I am the Lord. And they pitched
one over against the other seven days. And so it was,
that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and
the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hun-
dred thousand footmen in one day. But the rest fled
to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon
twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left.
And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an
inner chamber.
And his servants said unto him. Behold now, we
have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are
merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on
our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to
the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy
life. So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put
ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel,
and said. Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee,
[ 1072 J
XX] I. KINGS
let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive ? he is my
brother. Now the men did diligently observe whether
any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch
it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he
said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth
to him ; and he caused him to come up into the cha-
riot. And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which
my father took from thy father, I will restore ; and
thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my
father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send
thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant
with him, and sent him away.
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said
unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord, Smite
me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.
Then said he unto him. Because thou hast not obeyed
the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art
departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon
as he was departed from him, a lion found him,
and slew him. Then he found another man, and said,
Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so
that in smiting he wounded him. So the prophet de-
parted, and waited for the king by the way, and dis-
guised himself with ashes upon his face. And as the
king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said,
Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle ;
[ 1073 ]
I. KINGS [XXI
and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man
unto me, and said. Keep this man: if by any means
he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or
else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. And as thy ser-
vant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the
king of Israel said unto him. So shall thy judgment
be; thyself hast decided it. And he hasted, and took
the ashes away from his face ; and the king of Israel
discerned him that he was of the prophets. And he
said unto him. Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast
let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to ut-
ter destru6lion, therefore thy life shall go for his life,
and thy people for his people. And the king of Israel
went to his house heavy and displeased, and came
to Samaria.
And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth
the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel,
hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And
Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying. Give me thy vine-
yard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, be-
cause it is near unto my house : and I will give thee
for it a better vineyard than it ; or, if it seem good to
thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And
Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I
should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased
[ 1074 ]
XXI] I. KINGS
because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had
spoken to hini: for he had said, I will not give thee
the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down
upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would
eat no bread.
But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto
him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no
bread ? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto
Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him. Give me thy
vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will
give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I
will not give thee my vineyard. And Jezebel his wife
said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom
of Israel.^ arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be
merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the
Jezreelite. So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and
sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the
elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwell-
ing with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, say-
ing. Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among
the people: and set two men, sons of Belial, before
him, to bear witness against him, saying. Thou didst
blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him
out, and stone him, that he may die. And the men of
his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the
inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto
[ 1075 ]
I. KINGS [XXI
them, and as it was written in the letters which she
had sent unto them. They proclaimed a fast, and set
Naboth on high among the people. And there came in
two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and
the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against
Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Na-
both did blaspheme God and the king. Then they
carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with
stones, that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, say-
ing, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Na-
both was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to
Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Na-
both the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for
money : for Naboth is not alive, but dead. And it came
to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that
Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth
the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tish-
bite, saying. Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of
Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vine-
yard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess
it. And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith
the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession ?
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying. Thus saith
the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood
[ 1076 ]
I
XXI] I. KINGS
of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. And
Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine en-
emy? And he answered, I have found thee: because
thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the
Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will
take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab
him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut
up and left in Israel, and will make thine house like
the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the
house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provoca-
tion wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and
made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel also spake the
Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall
of Jezreel. Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs
shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the
fowls of the air eat.
But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell
himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord,
whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. And he did very
abominably in following idols, according to all things
as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before
the children of Israel. And it came to pass, when Ahab
heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put
sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sack-
cloth, and went softly. And the word of the Lord
came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how
[ 1077 ]
I. KINGS [XXII
Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he hum-
bleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in
his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil
upon his house.
And they continued three years without war be-
tween Syria and Israel. And it came to pass in the
third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came
down to the king of Israel. And the king of Israel
said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gi-
lead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the
hand of the king of Syria.'* And he said unto Jeho-
shaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-
gilead.? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I
am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses
as thy horses. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of
Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord
to day. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets
together, about four hundred men, and said unto them,
Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I
forbear ? And they said. Go up ; for the Lord shall de-
liver it into the hand of the king. And Jehoshaphat
said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides,
that we might enquire of him ? And the king of Israel
said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah
the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the
Lord : but I hate him ; for he doth not prophesy good
[ 1078 ]
XXII] I. KINGS
concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let
not the king say so. Then the king of Israel called
an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of
Imlah. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the
king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on
their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate
of Samaria ; and all the prophets prophesied before
them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him
horns of iron : and he said, Thus saith the Lord, With
these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have con-
sumed them. And all the prophets prophesied so, say-
ing, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the
Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand. And the mes-
senger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him,
saying, Behold now, the w^ords of the prophets declare
good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I
pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak
that which is good. And Micaiah said. As the Lord liv-
eth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.
So he came to the king. And the king said unto
him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to
battle, or shall we forbear.'^ And he answered him,
Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the
hand of the king. And the king said unto him. How
many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me no-
thing but that which is true in the name of the Lord .?
[ 1079 ]
I. KINGS [XXII
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills,
as sheep that have not a shepherd : and the Lord said,
These have no master: let them return every man
to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said un-
to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would pro-
phesy no good concerning me, but evil? And he said.
Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord : I saw the
Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven
standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And
the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may
go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead ? And one said on
this manner, and another said on that manner. And
there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord,
and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said un-
to him, Wherewith.'^ And he said, I will go forth, and
I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his pro-
phets. And he said,Thoushalt persuade him, and pre-
vail also : go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold,
the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all
these thy pro])hets, and the Lord hath spoken evil
concerning thee. But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah
went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and
said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me
to speak unto thee? And Micaiah said, Behold, thou
shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner
chamber to hide thyself. And the king of Israel said,
[ 1080 ]
XXII] I. KINGS
Take Micaiah, and carr}^ him back unto Anion the
governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son ; and
say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the pri-
son, and feed him with bread of affli^iion and with
water of affli6lion, until I come in peace. And Mica-
iah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath
not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people,
every one of you.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Is-
rael said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and
enter into the battle ; but put thou on thy robes. And
the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the
battle. But the king of Syria commanded his thirty
and two captains that had rule over his chariots, say-
ing. Fight neither with small nor great, save only
with the king of Israel. And it came to pass, when
the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that
they said. Surely it is the king of Israel. And they
turned aside to fight against him : and Jehoshaphat
cried out. And it came to pass, w^hen the captains of
the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Is-
rael, that they turned back from pursuing him. And
a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote
the king of Israel between the joints of the harness :
wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot. Turn
[ 1081 ]
I. KINGS [XXII
thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am
wounded. And the battle increased that day: and the
king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians,
and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound
into the midst of the chariot. And there went a pro-
clamation throughout the host about the going down
of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every
man to his own country. So the king died, and was
brought to Samaria ; and they buried the king in Sa-
maria. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Sa-
maria; and the dogs hcked up his blood; and they
washed his armour ; according unto the word of tlie
Lord which he spake.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Ahab, and all that he
did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the
cities that he built, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ? So Ahab slept
with his fathers ; and x\haziah his son reigned in his
stead.
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign
over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he
began to reign ; and he reigned twenty and five years
in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah
the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in all the ways
of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing
[ 108Ji ]
XXII] I. KINGS
that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: ne-
vertheless the high places were not taken away ; for
the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high
places. And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of
Israel. Now the rest of the a6ls of Jehoshaphat, and
his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah.^ And the remnant of the sodomites,
which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took
out of the land. There was then no king in Edom :
a deputy was king. Jehoshaphat made ships of Thar-
shish to go to Ophir for gold : but they went not; for
the ships were broken at Ezion-geber. Then said
Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my
servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jeho-
shaphat would not.
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David his father:
and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Is-
rael in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat
king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked
in the way of his father, and in the way of his mo-
ther, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
who made Israel to sin: for he served Baal, and wor-
[ 1083 ]
I. KINGS [XXII
shipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God
of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
[ 1084 ]
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
KINGS
COMMONLY CALLED
THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE KINGS
THEN Moab rebelled against Israel after the
death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through
a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria,
and was sick : and he sent messengers, and said unto
them. Go, enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron
whether I shall recover of this disease. But the an-
gel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go
up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria,
and say unto them. Is it not because there is not a
God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the
god of Ekron ? Now therefore thus saith the Lord,
Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which
thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah de-
parted.
And when the messengers turned back unto him,
he said unto them. Why are ye now turned back.f*
And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet
us, and said unto us. Go, turn again unto the king
that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord,
Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that
thou sendest to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of
[ 1085 ]
II. KINGS [I
Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from
that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely
die. And he said unto them, What manner of man
was he which came up to meet you,, and told you
these words .^ And they answered him. He was an
hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his
loins. And he said. It is Elijah the Tishbite. Then the
king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty.
And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the
top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of
God, the king hath said. Come down. And Elijah an-
swered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man
of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and
consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down
fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty
with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him,
0 man of God, thus hath the king said. Come down
quickly. And Elijah answered and said unto them. If
1 be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven,
and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God
came down from heaven, and consumed him and his
fifty.
And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with
his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and
came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and be-
[ ^^^^^ J
II] II. KINGS
sought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray
thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy ser-
vants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came
fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two cap-
tains of the former fifties with their fifties : therefore
let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the an-
gel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him:
be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down
with him^ unto the king. And he said unto him, Thus
saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messen-
gers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it
not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his
word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that
bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
So he died according to the word of the Lord which
Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead
in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehosha-
phat king of Judah; because he had no son. Now the
rest of the a6ls of Ahaziah which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel }
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take
up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah
went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto
Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath
sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him. As the
[ 1087 ]
11. KINGS [II
Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave
thee. So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of
the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Eli-
sha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord
will take away thy master from thy head to day.?
And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And
Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee;
for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said,
As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not
leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of
the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha,
and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will
take away thy master from thy head to day.? And he
answered. Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And
Elijah said unto him. Tarry, I pray thee, here; for
the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said. As the
Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave
thee. And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons
of the prophets went, and stood to view afar ofF: and
they two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his man-
tle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters,
and they were divided hither and thither, so that they
two went over on dry ground.
And it came to pass, when they were gone over,
that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for
thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha
[ 1088 ]
ri] II. KINGS
said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be
upon me. And he said. Thou hast asked a hard thing :
nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from
thee, it shall be so unto thee ; but if not, it shall not
be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and
talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire,
and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder;
and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
And Elisha saw it, and he cried. My father, my
father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen there-
of. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of
his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took
up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and
went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; and
he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and
smote the waters, and said. Where is the Lord God
of Elijah } and when he also had smitten the waters,
they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
And when the sons of the prophets which were to
view at Jericho saw him, they said. The spirit of Eli-
jah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him,
and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with
thy servants fifty strong men ; let them go, we pray
thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the
Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him
I [ 1089 ] 2 m
II. KINGS cii
upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he
said, Ye shall not send. And when they urged him till
he was ashamed, he said. Send. They sent therefore
fifty men ; and they sought three days, but found him
not. And when they came again to him, (for he tar-
ried at Jericho, ) he said unto them, Did I not say un-
to you. Go not?
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold,
I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my
lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground
barren. And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put
salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went
forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt
in there, and said. Thus saith the Lord, I have healed
these waters ; there shall not be from thence any more
death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto
this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he
spake.
And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as
he was going up by the way, there came forth little
children out of the city, and mocked him, and said
unto him. Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald
head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and
cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came
forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty
and two children of them. And he went from thence
[ lOUO J
Ill] II. KINGS
to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to
Samaria.
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign
over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jeho-
shaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord ; but not
like his father, and like his mother: for he put away
the image of Baal that his father had made. Never-
theless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not
therefrom.
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and
rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand
lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the
king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same
time, and numbered all Israel. And he went and sent
to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king
of Moab hath rebelled against me : wilt thou go vvith
me against Moab to battle ? And he said, I will go up:
I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my
horses as thy horses. And he said. Which way shall
we go up.^ And he answered. The way through the
wilderness of Edom. So the king of Israel went, and
the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they
[ 1091 ]
II. KINGS [III
fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there
was no water for the host, and for the cattle that fol-
lowed them. And the king of Israel said, Alas! that
the Lord hath called these three kings together, to
deliver them into the hand of Moab ! But Jehoshaphat
said. Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we
may enquire of the Lord by him ? And one of the king
of Israel's servants answered and said. Here is Elisha
the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands
of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord
is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and
the king of Edom went down to him. And Elisha said
unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee.^
get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the pro-
phets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto
him. Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings
together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And
Elisha said. As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom
I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence
of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look
toward thee, nor see thee. But now bring me a min-
strel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played,
that the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said,
Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches.
For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, nei-
ther shall ye see rain ; yet that valley shall be filled
[ 1092 ]
I
III] II. KINGS
with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cat-
tle, and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in
the sight of the Lord : he will deliver the Moabites also
into your hand. And ye shall smite every fenced city,
and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree,
and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece
of land with stones. And it came to pass in the morn-
ing, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold,
there came water by the way of Edom, and the coun-
try was filled with water.
And when all the Moabites heard that the kings
were come up to fight against them, they gathered
all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and
stood in the border. And they rose up early in the
morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the
Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as
blood: and they said. This is blood: the kings are
surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now
therefore, Moab, to the spoil. And when they came to
the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote
the Moabites, so that they fled before them : but they
went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their
country. And they beat down the cities, and on every
good piece of land cast every man his stone, and
filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and
felled all the good trees : only in Kir-haraseth left they
[ 1093 1
II. KINGS [IV
the stones thereof ; howbeit the slingers went about
it, and smote it.
And when the king of Moab saw that the battle
was too sore for him, he took with him seven hun-
dred men that drew swords, to break through even
unto the king of Edom : but they could not. Then he
took his eldest son that should have reigned in his
stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the
wall. And there was great indignation against Israel:
and they departed from him, and returned to their
own land.
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of
the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy ser-
vant my husband is dead ; and thou knowest that thy
servant did fear the Lord : and the creditor is come
to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And
Elisha said unto her. What shall I do for thee ? tell
me, what hast thou in the house ? And she said, Thine
handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot
of oil. Then he said. Go, borrow thee vessels abroad
of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels ; borrow not
a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut
the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour
out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that
which is full. So she went from him, and shut the
door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the
[ 1094 ]
IV] 11. KINGS
vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to
pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto
her son. Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her,
There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then
she came and told the man of God. And he said. Go,
sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy
children of the rest. iflsffirh
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem,
where was a great woman ; and she constrained him
to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed
by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said
unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is
an holy man of God, which passeth by us continu-
allyo Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the
wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table,
and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when
he Cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. And it
fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned in-
to the chamber, and lay there. And he said to Gehazi
his servant. Call this Shunammite. And when he had
called her, she stood before him. And he said unto
him, Say now unto her. Behold, thou hast been care-
ful for us with all this care; what is to be done for
thee.^ wouldestthou be spoken for to the king, or to
the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell
among mine own people. And he said. What then is
[ 1095 ]
II. KINGS [IV
to be done for her ? And Gehazi answered, Verily she
hath no child, and her husband is old. And he said,
Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in
the door. And he said. About this season, according
to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she
said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto
thine handmaid. And the woman conceived, and bare
a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, ac-
cording to the time of life.
And when the child was grown, it fell on a day,
that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he
said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said
to a lad. Carry him to his mother. And when he had
taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on
her knees till noon, and then died. And she went up,
and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut
the door upon him, and went out. And she called un-
to her husband, and said. Send me, I pray thee, one
of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may
run to the man of God, and come again. And he
said. Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day ? it is nei-
ther new moon, nor sabbath. And she said. It shall be
well. Then she saddled an ass, and said to her ser-
vant. Drive, and go forward ; slack not thy riding for
me, except I bid thee. So she went and came unto the
man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass,
[ 109(i J
i
//. KillirS V.
IV] II. KINGS
when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to
Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Sliunam-
mite: run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say un-
to her. Is it well with thee ? is it well with thy hus-
band? is it well with the child? And she answered,
It is well. And when she came to the man of God to
the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came
near to thrust her away. And the man of God said.
Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and
the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told
me. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord ? did
I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Ge-
hazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine
hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute
him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again:
and lay my staff upon the face of the child. And the
mother of the child said. As the Lord liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose,
and followed her. And Gehazi passed on before them,
and laid the staff upon the face of the child ; but there
was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went
again to meet him, and told him, saying. The child
is not awaked. And when Elisha was come into the
house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his
bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon
them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went
I [ 1097 ] ^M^
11. KINGS [IV
up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon
his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands
upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the
child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then
he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and
went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the
child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his
eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said. Call this Shu-
nammite. So he called her. And when she was come
in unto him, he said. Take up thy son. Then she
went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the
ground, and took up her son, and went out.
And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a
dearth in the land ; and the sons of the prophets were
sitting before him: and he said unto his servant. Set
on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of
the prophets. And one went out into the field to ga-
ther herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered there-
of wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them
into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So
they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to
pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they
cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death
in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. But he
said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot;
and he said. Pour out for the people, that they may
[ 1098 ]
V] II. KINGS
eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and
brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits,
twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the
husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that
they may eat. And his servitor said, What, should I
set this before an hundred men.? He said again. Give
the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord,
They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he set it
before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, ac-
cording to the word of the Lord.
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of
Syria, was a great man with his master, and honour-
able, because by him the Lord had given deliverance
unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but
he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by com-
panies, and had brought away captive out of the land
of Israel a little maid ; and she waited on Naaman's
wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God
my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria ! for
he would recover him of his leprosy. And one went
in, and told his lord, saying. Thus and thus said the
maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of
Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto
the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with
him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of
[ 1099 ]
II. KINGS [V
gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought
the letter to the king of Israel, saying. Now when
this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith
sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou may est
recover him of his leprosy. And it came to pass, when
the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent
his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make
alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a
man of his leprosy.^ wherefore consider, I pray you,
and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had
heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that
he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent
thy clothes.? let him come now to me, and he shall
know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman
came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood
at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent
a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jor-
dan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to
thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth,
and went away, and said. Behold, I thought, He will
surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the
name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over
the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and
Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the wa-
ters of Israel.? may I not wash in them, and be clean .?
[ 1100 ]
V] 11. KINGS
So he turned and went away in a rage. And his ser-
vants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My
father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great
thing, wouldest thou not have done it.'^ how much ra-^
ther then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean.?
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times
in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God :
and liis flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little
child, and he was clean.
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his
company, and came, and stood before him: and he
said. Behold, now I know that there is no God in all
the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee,
take a blessing of thy servant. But he said. As the
Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.
And he urged him to take it; but he refused. And
Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be
given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth ? for
thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offer-
ing nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.
In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when
my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to wor-
ship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow
myself in the house of Rimmon : when I bow down
myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy
servant in this thing. And he said unto him. Go in
[ 1101 ]
II. KINGS [V
peace. So he departed from him a httle way.
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God,
said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this
Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he
brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him,
and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after
Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after
him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him,
and said. Is all well ? And he said. All is well. My
master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there
be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men
of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee,
a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And
Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he
urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two
bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them
upon two of his servants ; and they bare them before
him. And when he came to the tower, he took them
from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and
he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in,
and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him,
Whence comest thou, Gehazi ? And he said ,Thy ser-
vant went no whither. And he said unto him, Went
not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again
from his chariot to meet thee.? Is it a time to receive
money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and
[ 1102 ]
VI] II. KINGS
vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants,and
maidservants ? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall
cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he
went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Be-
hold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too
strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan,
and take thence every man a beam, and let us make
us a place there, where we may dwell. And he an-
swered, Go ye. And one said. Be content, I pray thee,
and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will
go. So he went with them. And when they came to
Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling
a beam, the axe head fell into the water : and he cried,
and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. And the
man of God said. Where fell it.'^ And he shewed
him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it
in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he.
Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and
took it.
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and
took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and
such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God
sent unto tlie king of Israel, saying. Beware that thou
pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are
come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place
[ 1103 ]
II. KINGS [VI
which the man of God told him and warned him of,
and saved himself there, not once nor twice. There-
fore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled
for this thing; and he called his servants, and said
unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the
king of Israel .f^ And one of his servants said, None,
my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in
Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou
speak est in thy bedchamber.
And he said. Go and spy where he is, that I may
send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying.
Behold, he is in Dothan. Therefore sent he thither
horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came
by night, and compassed the city about. And when
the servant of the man of God was risen early, and
gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both
with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto
him, Alas, my master! how shall we do.^ And he an-
swered , Fear not : for they that be with us are more
than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and
said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.
And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and
he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha, And when
they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord,
and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blind-
[ 11()4< J
VI] II. KINGS
ness. And he smote them with blindness according
to the word of Elisha.
And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way,
neither is this the city : follow me, and I will bring you
to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Sama-
ria. And it came to pass, when they were come into
Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these
men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their
eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the
m.idst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Eli-
sha, when he saw them. My father, shall I smite them.?
shall I smite them ? And he answered, Thou shalt not
smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou
hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow ?
set bread and water before them, that they may eat
and drink, and go to their master. And he prepared
great provision for them : and when they had eaten
and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their
master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the
land of Israel.
And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king
of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and be-
sieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Sa-
maria : and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's
head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the
fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of
[ 1105 ]
II. KINGS [VI
silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon
the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help,
my lord, O king. And he said. If the Lord do not help
thee, whence shall I help thecf^ out of the barnfloor,
or out of the winepress ? And the king said unto her,
What aileth thee.'' And she answered, This woman
said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to
day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled
my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the
next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him : and she
hath hid her son.
J' And it came to pass, when the king heard the
words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and
he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked,
and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the
head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him
this day. But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders
sat with him ; and the king sent a man from before
him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to
the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath
sent to take away mine head.'' look, when the mes-
senger Cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at
the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind
him ? And while he yet talked with them, behold, the
messenger came down unto him: and he said, Be-
[ HOG J
VII] II. KINGS
hold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for
the Lord any longer?
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord:
Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall
a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two
measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Sa-
maria. Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned an-
swered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord
would make windows in heaven, might this thing be ?
And he said. Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes,
but shalt not eat thereof.
And there were four leprous men at the entering
in of the gate : and they said one to another. Why sit
we here until we die ? If we say , We will enter into the
city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die
there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now there-
fore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syri-
ans: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they
kill us, we shall but die. And they rose up in the twi-
light, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when
they were come to the uttermost part of the cam.p of
Syria, behold, there was no man there. For the Lord
had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of
chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a
great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king
of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hit-
[ 1107 ]
II. KINGS [VII
tites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon
us. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight,
and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses,
even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. And
when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the
camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink,
and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and
went and hid it; and came again, and entered into
another tent, and carried thence also, and went and
hid it. Then they said one to another, We do not well :
this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our
peace : if we tarry till the morning light, some mis-
chief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we
may go and tell the king's household. So they came
and called unto the porter of the city : and they told
them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians,
and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of
man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as
they were. And he called the porters ; and they told it
to the king's house within.
And the king arose in the night, and said unto his
servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have
done to us. They know that we be hungry ; therefore
are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves
in the field, saying, When they come out of the city,
we shall catch them alive, and get into the city. And
[ 1108 J
I
VII] II. KINGS
one of his servants answered and said, Let some take,
I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which
are left in the city, ( behold, they are as all the multi-
tude of Israel that are left in it : behold, I say , they are
even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are
consumed : ) and let us send and see. They took there-
fore two chariot horses ; and the king sent after the
host of the Syrians, saying. Go and see. And they
went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was
full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had
cast away in their haste. And the messengers re-
turned, and told the king. And the people went out,
and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of
fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures
of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the
Lord.
And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he
leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people
trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of
God had said, who spake when the king came down
to him. And it came to pass as the man of God had
spoken to the king, saying. Two measures of barley
for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel,
shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Sa-
maria: and that lord answered the man of God, and
said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows
[ 1109 ]
II. KINGS [VIII
in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Be-
hold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shah not
eat thereof. And so it fel] out unto him ; for the people
trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he
had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and
thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst
sojourn : for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it
shall also come upon the land seven years. And the
woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of
God : and she went with her household, and sojourned
in the land of the Philistines seven years. And it came
to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman re-
turned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went
forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her
land. And the king talked with Gehazi the servant
of the man of God, saying. Tell me, I pray thee, all
the great things that Elisha hath done. And it came to
pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored
a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose
son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her
house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O
king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom
Elisha restored to life. And when the king asked the
woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her
a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and
[ 1110 J
VIII] II. KINGS
all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the
land, even until now.
And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the
king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying.
The man of God is come hither. And the king said
unto Hazaei, Take a present in thine hand, and go,
meet the man of God, and enquire of the Lord by him,
saying, Shall I recover of this disease.? So Hazaei
went to meet him, and took a present with him, even
of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' bur-
den, and came and stood before him, and said. Thy
son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, say-
ing, Shall I recover of this disease.? And Elisha said
unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou may est certainly
recover : howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he
shall surely die. And he settled his countenance sted-
fastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God
wept. And Hazaei said. Why weepeth my lord.? And
he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt
do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds
wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou
slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and
rip up their women with child. And Hazaei said. But
what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this
great thing.? And Elisha answered. The Lord hath
shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. So he
[ nil ]
II. KINGS [VIII
departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who
said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he an-
swered, He told me that thou shouldest surely re-
cover. And it came to pass on the morrow, that he
took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread
it on his face, so that he died : and Hazael reigned in
his stead.
i And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab
king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah,
Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah be-
gan to reign. Thirty and two years old was he when
he began to reign ; and he reigned eight years in Je-
rusalem. And he walked in the wa}^ of the kings of
Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter
of Ahab was his wife : and he did evil in the sight of
the Lord. Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for
David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give
him alway a light, and to his children.
1 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of
Judah, and made a king over themselves. So Joram
went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and
he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which com-
passed him about, and the captains of the chariots:
and the people fled into their tents. Yet Edom re-
volted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.
Then Libnah revolted at the same time. And the rest
[ 111^ J
ARE NOT ABAXA AND PHAKPAR, RIVERS OF DAMASCUS,
BETTER THAN ALL THE WaTEKS OF ISRAEL?" //. KillffS
IX] II. KINGS
of the a6ls of Joram, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah? And Joram slept with his fathers, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Aha-
ziah his son reigned in his stead.
In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king
of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Ju-
dah begin to reign. Two and twenty years old was
Ahaziah when he began to reign ; and he reigned one
year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Atha-
liah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. And he
walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil
in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab:
for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.
And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the
war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead ;
and the Syrians wounded Joram, And king Joram
went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when
he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah
the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see
Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was
sick.
And Elisha the prophet called one of the children
of the prophets, and said unto him. Gird up thy loins,
and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ra-
[ iiiii ]
11. KINGS m
moth-gilead : and when thou com est thither, look out
there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi,
and go in, and make him arise up from among his
brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; then
take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say,
Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over
Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
So the young man, even the young man the pro-
phet, went to Ramoth-gilead. And when he came,
behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he
said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu
said. Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O
captain. And he arose, and went into the house; and
he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus
saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king
over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. And
thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that
I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets,
and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the
hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall
perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth
against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in
Israel : and I will make the house of Ahab like the
house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like tl^e
house of Baasha the son of Ahijah : and the dogs shall
eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall
[ 1114 ]
IX] II. KINGS
be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and
fled. ill
Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord:
and one said unto him , Is all well ? wherefore came this
mad fellow to thee ? And he said unto them, Ye know
the man, and his communication. And they said, It is
false ; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he
to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed
thee king over Israel. Then they hasted, and took
every man his garment, and put it under him on the
top of the stairs, and blev/ with trumpets, saying, Jehu
is king. So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of
Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had
kept Ramoth-gilead,he and all Israel, because of Ha~
zael king of Syria. But king Joram was returned to
be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syri-
ans had given him, when he fought with Hazael king
of Syria. ) And Jehu said. If it be your mJnds, then let
none go forth nor escape out of the cit}^ to go to
tell it in JezreeL So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went
to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king
of Judah was come down to see Joram. And there
stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he
spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said , I see
a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and
send to meet them, and let him say. Is it peace .-^ vSo
[ 1115 ]
II. KINGS [IX
there went one on horseback to meet him, and said,
Thus saith the king, Is it peace ? And Jehu said, What
hast thou to do with peace ?turn thee behind me. And
the watchman told, saying. The messenger came to
them, but he cometh not again. Then he sent out a
second on horseback, which came to them, and said.
Thus saith the king. Is it peace ? And Jehu answered,
What hast thou to do with peace ^ turn thee behind
me. And the watchman told, saying. He came even
unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is
like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi ;for he driv-
eth furiously. And Joram said, Make ready. And his
chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel
and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his cha-
riot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in
the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. And it came to
pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said. Is it peace,
Jehu.? And he answered. What peace, so long as the
whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witch-
crafts are so many ? And Joram turned his hands, and
fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Alia-
ziah. And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength,
and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow
went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his cha-
riot. Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up,
and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the
[ 1116 ]
IX] II. KINGS
Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou
rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this
burden upon him : Surely I have seen yesterday the
blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the
Lord; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the
Lord. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat
of ground, according to the word of the Lord.
But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he
fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu fol-
lowed after him, and said, Smite him also in the cha-
riot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is
by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.
And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusa-
lem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers
in the city of David. And in the eleventh year of Jo-
ram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over
Judah.
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard
of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head,
and looked out at a window. x\nd as Jehu entered in
at the gate, she said. Had Zimri peace, who slew his
master.^ And he lifted up his face to the window, and
said. Who is on my side ? Vv'ho } And there looked out
to him two or three eunuchs. And he said. Throw her
down. So they threw her down: and some of her
blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses:
[ HIT ]
II. KINGS [X
and he trode her under foot. And when he was come
in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this
cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's
daughter. And they went to bury her: but they found
no more of her than the scull, and the feet, and the
palms of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and
told him. And he said. This is the word of the I^rd,
which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the
flesh of Jezebel: and the carcase of Jezebel shall be
as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of
Jezreel; so that they shall not say. This is Jezebel.
And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu
wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of
Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up
Ahab's children, saying. Now as soon as this letter
Cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with
you, and there are with 3^ou chariots and horses, a
fenced city also, and armour; look even out the best
and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his
father's throne, and fight for your master's house.
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold,
two kings stood not before him : how tht^n shall we
stand ? And he that was over the house, and he that
was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers
up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying. We are thy
[ lll« ]
X] II. KINGS
servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we
will not make any king : do thou that which is good
in thine eyes. Then he wrote a letter the second time
to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken
unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your
master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to mor-
row this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy
persons, were with the great men of the city, which
brought them up. And it came to pass, Vv^hen the let-
ter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and
slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets,
and sent him them to jezreel.
And there came a messenger, and told him, say-
ing. They have brought the heads of the king's sons.
And he said. Lay ye them in two heaps at the enter-
ing in of the gate until the morning. And it came to
pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and
said to all the people. Ye be righteous: behold, I con-
spired against my master, and slew him: but who
slew all these ? Know now that there shall fall unto the
earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord
spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord
hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab
in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks,
and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
[ 1119 ]
II. KINGS [X
And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria.
And as he was at the shearing house in the way, Jehu
met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and
said. Who are ye? And they answered, We are the
brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the
children of the king and the children of the queen.
And he said, Take them alive. And they took them
alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house,
even two and forty men ; neither left he any of them.
And when he was departed thence, he lighted on
Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him :
and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart
right, as my heart is with thy heart .^^ And Jehonadab
answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he
gave him his hand ; and he took him up to him into
the chariot. And he said, Come with me, and see my
zeal for the Lord, So they made him ride in his cha-
riot. And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that
remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed
him, according to the saying of the Lord, which he
spake to Elijah.
And Jehu gathered all the people together, and
said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu
shall serve him much. Now therefore call unto me
all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his
priests ; let none be wanting : for I have a great sa-
[ 1120 J
X] II. KINGS
crifice to do to Baal ; whosoever shall be wanting, he
shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent
that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. And
Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And
they proclaimed it. And Jehu sent through all Israel:
and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there
was not a man left that came not. And they came in-
to the house of Baal ; and the house of Baal was full
from one end to another. And he said unto him that
was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all
the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth
vestments. And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son
of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the
worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be
here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but
the worshippers of Baal only. And when they went in
to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed
fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men
whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that
letteth him go, his life shall be for the hfe of him. And
it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of
offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard
and to the captains. Go in, and slay them; let none
come forth. And they smote them with the edge of
the sword ; and the guard and the captains cast them
out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. And
I [ 1121 ] 2k
II. KINGS [X
they brought forth the images out of the house of
Baal, and burned them. And they brake down the
image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal,
and made it a draught house unto this day. Thus Jehu
destroyed Baal out of Israel.
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Ne-
bat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from
after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in
Beth-el, and that were in Dan. And the Lord said un-
to Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that
which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the
house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart,
thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the
throne of Israel. But Jehu took no heed to walk in
the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart:
for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which
made Israel to sin.
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short :
and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
from Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead,theGad-
ites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from
Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and
Bashan. Now the rest of the a6ls of Jehu, and all that
he did, and all his might, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ? And
Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in
[ 1122 ]
J
XI] 11. KINGS
Samaria, And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Sama-
ria was twenty and eight years.
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw
that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the
seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Jo-
ram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Aha-
ziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which
were slain ; and they hid him, even him and his nurse,
in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not
slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the
Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched
the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the
guard, and brought them to him into the house of the
Lord, and made a covenant with them, and took an
oath of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed
them the king's son. And he commanded them, say-
ing, This is the thing that ye shall do: A third part of
you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keep-
ers of the watch of the king's house ; and a third part
shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the
gate behind the guard : so shall ye keep the watch of
the house, that it be not broken down. And two parts
of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall
keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the
[ 1123 ]
II. KINGS [XI
king. And ye shall compass the king round about,
every man with his weapons in his hand : and he that
Cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be
ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
And the captains over the hundreds did according to
all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded : and
they took every man his men that were to come in
on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the
sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. And to the
captains over hundreds did the priest give king Da-
vid's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the
Lord. And the guard stood, every man with his wea-
pons in his hand, round about the king, from the right
corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple,
along by the altar and the temple. And he brought
forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and
gave him the testimony ; and they made him king,
and anointed him ; and they clapped their hands, and
said, God save the king.
And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard
and of the people, she came to the people into the
temple of the Lord. And when she looked, behold,
the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the
princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the
people of the land rejoiced, nnd blew with trumj)ets:
and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried. Treason,
[ 1124 ]
XII] II. KINGS
treason. But Jehoiada the priest commanded the cap-
tains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and
said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges:
and him that folio weth her kill with the sword. For
the priest had said. Let her not be slain in the house
of the Lord. And they laid hands on her ; and she went
by the way by the which the horses came into the
king's house: and there was she slain.
And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord
and the king and the people, that they should be the
Lord's people ; between the king also and the people.
And all the people of the land went into the house of
Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images
brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the
priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest ap-
pointed officers over the house of the Lord. And he
took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and
the guard, and all the people of the land; and they
brought down the king from the house of the Lord,
and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the
king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city
was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword
beside the king's house. Seven years old was Jeho-
ash when he began to reign.
In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign;
[ 1125 ]
II. KINGS [XII
and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his
mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. And Jeho-
ash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord
all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instru6led
him. But the high places were not taken away: the
people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high
places.
And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of
the dedicated things that is brought into the house
of the Lord, even the money of every one that pass-
eth the account, the money that every man is set at,
and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to
bring into the house of the Lord, let the priests take
it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let
them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever
any breach shall be found. But it was so, that in the
three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests
had not repaired the breaches of the house. Then king
Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other
priests, and said unto them. Why repair ye not the
breaches of the house.? now therefore receive no more
money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the
breaches of the house. And the priests consented to
receive no more money of the people, neither to re-
pair the breaches of the house. But Jehoiada the priest
took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set
[ 11<26 j
XII] II. KINGS
it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh
into the house of the Lord : and the priests that kept
the door put therein all the money that was brought
into the house of the Lord, And it was so, when they
saw that there was much money in the chest, that the
king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they
put up in bags, and told the money that was found in
the house of the Lord. And they gave the money, be-
ing told, into the hands of them that did the work,
that had the oversight of the house of the Lord : and
they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that
wrought upon the house of the Lord, and to masons,
and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed
stone to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord,
and for all that was laid out for the house to repair
it. Howbeit there were not made for the house of
the Lord bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets,
any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money
that was brought into the house of the Lord : but they
gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith
the house of the Lord. Moreover they reckoned not
with the men, into whose hand they delivered the
money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt
faithfully. The trespass money and sin money was
not brought into the house of the Lord : it was the
priests',
[ 1127 ]
II. KINGS [XIII
Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought
against Gath, and took it : and Hazael set his face to
go up to Jerusalem. And Jehoash king of Judah took
all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jeho-
ram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had
dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the
gold that was found in the treasures of the house of
the Lord, and in the king's house, and sent it to Ha-
zael king of Syria : and he went away from Jerusalem.
And the rest of the a6ls of Joash, and all that he
did, are they not written in the book of the chroni-
cles of the kings of Judah ? And his servants arose,
and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house
of Millo, which goeth down to Silla. For Jozachar the
son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer,
his servants, smote him, and he died ; and they buried
him with his fathers in the city of David: and Ama-
ziah his son reigned in his stead.
In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son
of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu
began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned
seventeen years. And he did that which was evil in tlie
sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin ; he de-
parted not therefrom.
And the anger of the Ix)rd was kindled against
[ 1128 j
XIII] II. KINGS
Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Ha-
zael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad
the son of Hazael, all their days. And Jehoahaz be-
sought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him:
for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king
of Syria oppressed them. (And the Lord gave Israel
a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand
of the Syrians: and thechildren of Israel dwelt in their
tents, as beforetime. Nevertheless they departed not
from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Is-
rael sin, but walked therein: and there remained the
grove also in Samaria. ) Neither did he leave of the
people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chari-
ots, and ten thousand footmen ; for the king of Syria
had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust
by threshing.
Now the rest of the a6fs of Jehoahaz, and all that
he did, and his might, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Israel ? And Jehoa-
haz slept with his fathers ; and they buried him in Sa-
maria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.
In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Ju-
dah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over
Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. And he
did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he de-
parted not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of
I [ 1129 ] 2n2
II. KINGS [XIII
Nebat, who made Israel sin : but he walked therein.
And the rest of the a6ts of Joash, and all that he did,
and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah
king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel.? And Joash slept with
his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and
Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof
he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto
him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father,
my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen
thereof. And Elisha said unto him. Take bow and ar-
rows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. And he
said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the
bow. And he put his hand u}x)n it: and Elisha put his
hands upon the king's hands. And he said. Open the
window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha
said. Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of
the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance
from Syria : for thou shalt smite the Syriai^s in Aphek ,
till thou have consumed them. And he said. Take
the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the
king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote
thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth
with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five
or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou
[ 11^0 ]
XIV] 11. KINGS
hadst consumed it : whereas now thou shalt smite Sy-
ria but thrice.
And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the
bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming
in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were bury-
ing a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men ;
and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha :
and when the man was let down, and touched the
bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the
days of Jehoahaz. And the Lord was gracious unto
them, and had compassion on them, and had respe6l
unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither
cast he them from his presence as yet. So Hazael king
of Syria died ; and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his
stead. And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again
out of the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the
cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoa-
haz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him,
and recovered the cities of Israel.
In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king
of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of
Judah. He was twenty and five years old when he be-
gan to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in
Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of
[ 11^1 ]
11. KINGS [XIV
Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the
sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father : he did
according to all things as Joash his father did. How-
beit the high places were not taken away: as yet the
people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high
places.
And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was
confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which
had slain the king his father. But the children of the
murderers he slew not : according unto that which is
written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the
Lord commanded, saying. The fathers shall not be
put to death for the children, nor the children be put
to death for the fathers ; but every man shall be put
to death for his own sin. He slew of Edom in the val-
ley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and
called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the
son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying,
Come, let us look one another in the face. And Jeho-
ash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah,
saying. The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the
cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter
to my son to wife : and there passed by a wild beast
that was in Lebanon, and trodedown the thistle. Thou
hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart liath lifted
[ 115^ J
XIV] 11. KINGS
thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why
shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou should-
est fall, even thou, and Judah with thee ? But Amaziah
would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel
went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked
one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which be-
longeth to Judah. And Judah was put to the worse
before Israel ; and they fled every man to their tents.
And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of
Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah,at Beth-
shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down
the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto
the corner gate, four hundred cubits. And he took
all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were
found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures
of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to
Samaria.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Jehoash which he did,
and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king
of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chro-
nicles of the kings of Israel .^^ And Jehoash slept with
his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings
of Israel ; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.
And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived
after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of
Israel fifteen years. And the rest of the a6ls of Ama-
[ 1135 ]
11. KINGS [XIV
ziah, are they not written in the book of the chroni-
cles of the kings of Judah ? Now they made a con-
spiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to La-
chish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew
him there. And they brought him on horses : and he
was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city
of David.
And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which
was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of
his father Amaziah. He built Elath, and restored it to
Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash
king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Is-
rael began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty
and one years. And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to
sin. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering
of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to
the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake
by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai,
the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher. For the Lord
saw the affli6lion of Israel, that it was very bitter:
for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any
helper for Israel. And the Lord said not that he would
blot out the name of Israel from under heaven : but
[ 1134 ]
XV] II. KINGS
he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of
Joash.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Jeroboam, and all that
he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he re-
covered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to
Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of
the chronicles of the kings of Israel ? And Jeroboam
slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel;
and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.
In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king
of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Ju-
dah to reign. Sixteen years old was he when he be-
gan to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in
Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of
Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the
sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Ama-
ziah had done ; save that the high places were not re-
moved : the people sacrificed and burnt incense still
on the high places.
And the Lord smote the king, so that he was a
leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a sev-
eral house. And Jotham the king's son was over the
house, judging the people of the land. And the rest of
the a6ls of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah? So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they
[ 1135 ]
II. KINGS [XV
buried him with his fathers in the city of David : and
Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of
Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over
Israel in Sam.aria six months. And he did that which
was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had
done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. And Shallum
the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote
him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in
his stead. And the rest of the a6ls of Zachariah, be-
hold, they are written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Israel. This was the word of the Lord
which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit
on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation.
And so it came to pass.
Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the
nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and
he reigned a full month in Samaria. For Menahem
the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to
Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Sa-
maria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the
rest of the a6ls of Shallum , and his conspiracy which
he made, behold, they are written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel.
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were
[ 115G J
XV] II. KINGS
therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because
they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and
all the women therein that were with child he ripped
up. In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king
of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign
over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. And he
did that which v/as evil in the sight of the Lord: he
departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. And Pul the
king of Assyria came against the land: and Mena-
hem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his
hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in
his hand. And Menahem exa6f ed the money of Israel,
even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man
fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria.
So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not
there in the land.
And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that
lie did, are they not written in the book of the chro-
nicles of the kings of Israel? And Menahem slept
with his fathers ; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his
stead.
In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Peka-
hiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel
in Samaria, and reigned two years. And he did that
which was evil in the sight of the Lord : he departed
[ 1137 ]
II. KINGS [XV
not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who
made Israel to sin. But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a
captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him
in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with
Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gi-
leadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.
And the rest of the a6ls of Pekahiah, and all that he
did, behold, they are written in the book of the chro-
nicles of the kings of Israel.
In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Ju-
dah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over
Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. And he
did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord : he
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, who made Israel to sin. In the days of Pekah
king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria,
and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah,
and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all
the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to As-
syria. And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy
against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him,
and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twenti-
eth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. And tlie rest of
the a6f s of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they
are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel.
[ 1138 ]
XVI] II. KINGS
In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah
king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king
of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he
when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years
in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha,
the daughter of Zadok. And he did that which was
right in the sight of the Lord : he did according to all
that his father Uzziah had done. Howbeit the high
places were not removed : the people sacrificed and
burned incense still in the high places. He built the
higher gate of the house of the Lord.
Now the rest of the a6ts of Jotham, and all that he
did, are they not written in the book of the chroni-
cles of the kings of Judah.? In those days the Lord be-
gan to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria,
and Pekah the son of Remaliah. And Jotham slept
with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the
city of David his father : and Ahaz his son reigned in
his stead.
In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Re-
maliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began
to reign. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he be-
gan to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem,
and did not that which was right in the sight of the
Lord his God, like David his father. But he walked
in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his
[ 1139 ]
II. KINGS [XVI
son to pass through the fire, according to the abomi-
nations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from
before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and
burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and
under every green tree.
Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Rema-
liah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and
they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to
Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syri-
ans came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day. So
Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of As-
syria, saying,! am thy servant and thy son : come up,
and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and
out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up
against me. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that
was found in the house of the Lord, and in the trea-
sures of the king's liouse, and sent it for a present to
the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria heark-
ened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against
Damascus , and took it, and carried the people of it cap-
tive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-
pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at
Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest
the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, accord-
[ 1140 J
i
XVI] 11. KINGS
ing to all the workmanship thereof. And Urijah the
priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz
had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made
it against king Ahaz came from Damascus. And when
the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the
altar: and the king approached to the altar, and of-
fered thereon. And he burnt his burnt offering and
his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and
sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the
altar. And he brought also the brasen altar, which was
before the Lord, from the forefront of the house, from
between the altar and the house of the Lord, and put
it on the north side of the altar. And king Ahaz com-
manded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great al-
tar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening
meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his
meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people
of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink
offerings ; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the
burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and
the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by. Thus
did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz
commanded.
And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases,
and removed the laver from off them ; and took down
the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it,
[ 1141 ]
II. KINGS [XVII
and put it upon a pavement of stones. And the covert
for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and
the king's entry without, turned he from the house
of the Lord for the king of Assyria.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Ahaz which he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah? And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and
was buried with his fathers in the city of David : and
Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began
Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Is-
rael nine years. And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel that
were before him.
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of As-
syria ; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him
presents. And the king of Assyria found conspiracy
in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king
of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of
Assyria, as he had done year by year : therefore the
king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the
land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three
years.
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria
took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria,
[ lliii ]
xvin ^ II. KINGS
and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the rivei
of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. For so it
was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the
Lord their God, which had brought them up out of
the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh
king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, and walked
in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out
from before the children of Israel, and of the kings
of Israel, which they had made. And the children of
Israel did secretly those things that w^ere not right
against the Lord their God, and they built them high
places in all their cities, from the tower of the watch-
men to the fenced city. And they set them up im-
ages and groves in every high hill, and under every
green tree: and there they burnt incense in all the
high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord car-
ried away before them ; and wrought wicked things
to provoke the Lord to anger: for they served idols,
whereof the Lord had said unto them. Ye shall not
do this thing. Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and
against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the
seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep
my commandments and my statutes, according to all
the law which I commanded your fathers, and which
I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Notwith-
standing they would not hear, but hardened their
[ 1143 ]
II. KINGS ■ [XVII
necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not
believe in the Lord their God. And they reje6led his
statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fa-
thers, and his testimonies which he testified against
them ; and they followed vanity , and became vain, and
went after the heathen that were round about them,
concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that
they should not do like them. And they left all the
commandments of the Lord their God, and made them
molten images, even two calves, and made a grove,
and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served
Baal. And they caused their sons and their daughters
to pass through the fire, and used divination and en-
chantments, and sold themselves todoevil in the sight
of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. Therefore the
Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them
out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of
Judah only. Also Judah kept not the commandments
of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of
Israel which they made. And the Lord reje6ted all
the seed of Israel, and affli6led them, and delivered
them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them
out of his sight. For he rent Israel from the house of
David ; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat
king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the
Lord, and made them sin a great sin. For the chil-
[ 1144 ]
XVII] II. KINGS
drenof Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which
he did ; they departed not from them ; until the Lord
removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all
his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away
out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
And the king of Assyria brought men from Baby-
lon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Ha-
math, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the
cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel : and
they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there,
that they feared not the Lord : therefore the Lord sent
lions among them, which slew some of them. Where-
fore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying. The
nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the
cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of
the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them,
and, behold, they slay them, because they know not
the manner of the God of the land. Then the king
of Assyria commanded, saying. Carry thither one of
the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let
them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the
manner of the God of the land. Then one of the priests
whom they had carried away from Samaria came and
dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should
fear the Lord. Howbeit every nation made gods of
[ 1145 ]
II. KINGS [XVII
their own, and put them in the houses of the high
places which the Samaritans had made, every nation
in their cities wherein they dwelt. And the men of
Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth
made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Se-
pharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech
and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. So they
feared the Lord, and made unto themselves of the
lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacri-
ficed for them in the houses of the high places. They
feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the
manner of the nations whom they carried away from
thence. Unto this day they do after the former man-
ners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after
their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the
law and commandment which the Lord commanded
the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; with
whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged
them, saying. Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow
yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to
them: but the Lord, who brought you up out of the
land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out
arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship,
and to him shall ye do sacrifice. And the statutes, and
the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment,
[ 1146 ]
XVIII] 11. KINGS
which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for
evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods. And the
covenant that I have made with you ye shall not for-
get; neither shall ye fear other gods. But the Lord
your God ye shall fear ; and he shall deliver you out
of the hand of all your enemies. Howbeit they did
not hearken, but they did after their former manner.
So these nations feared the Lord, and served their
graven images, both their children, and their chil-
dren's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto
this day.
Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea
son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of
Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five
years old was he when he began to reign ; and he
reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mo-
ther's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the
Lord, according to all that David his father did. He
removed the high places, and brake the images, and
cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen
serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days
the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he
called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of
Israel ; so that after him was none like him among
all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
[ 1147 ]
II. KINGS [XVIII
For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from fol-
lowing him, but kept his commandments, which the
Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with
him ; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth :
and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and
served him not. He smote the Philistines, even unto
Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the
watchmen to the fenced city.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king
Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son
of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of As-
syria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. And
at the end of three years they took it: even in the
sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Ho-
shea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. And the king
of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and
put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Go-
zan, and in the cities of the Medes: because they
obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but trans-
gressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant
of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them,
nor do them.
Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did
Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the
fenced cities of Judah, and took them. And Hezekiah
king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish,
[ 1148 J
XVIII] II. KINGS
saying, I have offended; return from me: that which
thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of As-
syria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three
hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found
in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the
king's house. At that time did Hezekiah cut off the
gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and
from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had
overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris
and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with
a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and
came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up,
they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool,
which is in the highway of the fuller's field. And when
they had called to the king, there came out to them
Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the house-
hold, and Shebna the scribe,and Joahthe son of Asaph
the recorder. And Rab-shakeh said unto them. Speak
ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the
kingof Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou
trustest ? Thou say est, ( but they are but vain words, )
I have counsel and strencrth for the war. Now on
o
whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against
me? Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this
[ 1149 ]
II. KINGS [XVIII
bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man
lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pha-
raoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. But if
ye say unto me. We trust in the Lord our God: is
not that he, whose high places and whose altars He-
zekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and
Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jeru-
salem ? Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to
my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee
tv/o thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to
set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn away
the face of one captain of the least of my master's
servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and
for horsemen ? Am I now come up without the Lord
against this place to destroy it ? The Lord said to me,
Go up against this land, and destroy it. Then said
Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah,
unto Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants
in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and
talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of
the people that are on the wall. But Rab-shakeh said
unto them. Hath my master sent me to thy master,
and to thee, to speak these words ? hath he not sent me
to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat
their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice
[ 1150 ]
XVIII] II. KINGS
in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the
word of the great king, the king of Assyria: Thus
saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he
shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand : nei-
ther let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying,
The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall
not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Hearken not to Hezekiah : for thus saith the king of
Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present,
and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of
his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink
ye every one the waters of his cistern : until I come
and take you away to a land like your own land, a land
of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a
land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and
not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he per-
suadeth you, saying. The Lord will deliver us. Hath
any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land
out of the hand of the king of Assyria ? Where are the
gods of Hamath, and of Arpad ? where are the gods
of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah ? have they delivered
Samaria out of mine hand ? Who are they among all
the gods of the countries, that have delivered their
country out of mine hand, that the Lord should de-
liver Jerusalem out of mine hand ? But the people held
their peace, and answered him not a word : for the
[ 1151 ]
11. KINGS [XIX
king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was
over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah
the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their
clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.
And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard
it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with
sackcloth, and went into tlie house of the Lord, And
he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and
Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, co-
vered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of
Amoz. And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah,
Ihis day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blas-
phemy: for the children are come to the birth, and
there is not strength to bring forth. It may be the
Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh,
whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to re-
proach the living God ; and will reprove the words
which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift
up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. So the
servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to
your master. Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of
the words which thou hast heard, with which the ser-
vants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he sh.all hear
[ 1152 J
I
XIX] II. KINGS
a rumour, and shall return to his own land ; and I will
cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
SoRab-shakeh returned, and found the king of As-
syria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that
he was departed from Lachish. And when he heard
say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come
out to fight against thee : he sent messengers again
unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus shall ye speak to Heze-
kiah king of Judah, saying. Let not thy God in whom
thoutrustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not
be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Be-
hold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have
done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and
shalt thou be delivered ? Have the gods of the nations
delivered them which my fathers have destroyed ; as
Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of
Eden which were in Thelasar ? Where is the king of
Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the
city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of
the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up
into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the
Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said,
O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the
cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all
the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven
1 [ 1153 ] go
II. KINGS [XIX
and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open,
Lord, thine eyes, and see : and hear the words of Sen-
nacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living
God. Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have de-
stroyed thenations and their lands, and havecasttheir
gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the
work of men's hands, w^ood and stone: therefore they
have destroy ed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God ,
I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all
the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the
Lord God, even thou only.
Then Isaiah the sonof Amoz sent to Hezekiah, say-
ing, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which
thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of
Assyria I have heard. This is the word that the Lord
hath spoken concerning him : The virgin the daugh-
ter of Zion hach despised thee, and laughed thee to
scorn ; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her
head at thee. Whom hast thou reproached and blas-
phemed.? and against whom hast thou exalted thy
voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high.? even against
the Holy One of Israel. By thy messengers thou hast
reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the mul-
titude of my chariots I am come up to the height of
the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut
down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice tir
[ 115t ]
XIX] II. KINGS
trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of
his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel. I have
digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole
of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged
places. Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done
it, and of ancient times that I have formed it.^* now
have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to
lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps. Therefore
their inhabitants were of small power, they were dis-
mayed and confounded; they were as the grass of
the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the
house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown
up. But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and
thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Because thy
rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine
ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and
my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the
way by which thou camest. And this shall be a sign
unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow
of themselves, and in the second year that which
springeth of the same ; and in the third year sow ye,
and reap,and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits there-
of. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of
Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear
fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a
remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion:
[ 1155 ]
II. KINGS [XX
the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do tliis. Therefore
thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria,
He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow
there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank
against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall
he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the
Lord, For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine
own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of
the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the As-
syrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand : and
when they arose early in the morning, behold, they
were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib king of As-
syria departed, and vvent and returned, and dwelt at
Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping
in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech
and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword : and
they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhad-
don his son reigned in his stead.
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And
the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and
said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house
in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he
turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,
saying, I beseech thee,0 Lord, remember now how I
have walked before thee in truth and with a perfe6t
[ 1156 J
xxj II. KINGS
heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.
And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, afore
Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the
word of the Lord came to him, saying. Turn again,
and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people. Thus
saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have
heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will
heal thee : on the third day thou shalt go up unto the
house of the Lord. And I will add unto thy days fif-
teen years ; and I will deliver thee and this city out
of the hand of the king of i^ssyria ; and I will defend
this city for mine own sake, and for my servant Da-
vid's sake. And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And
they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the
sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up
into the house of the Lord the third day .? And Isaiah
said. This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the
Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the
shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten de-
grees.? And Hezekiah answered. It is a light thing for
the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the
shadow return backward ten degrees. And Isaiah the
prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the
shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone
down in the dial of Ahaz.
[ 1157 ]
II. KINGS [XX
At that time Berodach-baladan,the son of Baladan,
kingof Babylon, sent letters and a present untoHeze-
kiah : for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed
them all the house of his precious things, the silver,
and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oint-
ment, and all the house of his armour, and all that
was found in his treasures : there was nothing in his
house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed
them not.
Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah,
and said unto him, What said these men.? and from
whence came they unto thee.? And Hezekiah said.
They are come from a far country, even from Baby-
lon. And he said , What have they seen in thine house ?
And Hezekiah answered. All the things that are in
mine house have they seen: there is nothing among
my treasures that I have not shewed them. And Isaiah
said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord. Be-
hold, the days come, that all that is in thine house,
and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto
this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall
be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sons that shall is-
sue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take
away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the
king of Babylon. Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah,
[ 1158 J
XXI] II. KINGS
Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken.
And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in
my days ?
And the rest of the a6ls of Hezekiah, and all his
might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and
brought water into the city, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah } And He-
zekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son
reigned in his stead.
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began
to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusa-
lem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah. And
he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,
after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord
cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up
again the high places which Hezekiah his father had
destroyed ; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made
a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped
all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built
altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord
said. In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built
altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of
the house of the Lord. And he made his son pass
through the fire, and observed times, and used en-
chantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wiz-
ards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the
[ 1159 ]
II KINGS [XXI
Lord, to provoke him to anger. And he set a graven
image of the grove that he had made in the house,
of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his
son. In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have
chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name
for ever: neither will I make the feet of Israel move
any more out of the land which I gave their fathers ;
only if they will observe to do according to all that
I have commanded them, and according to all the
law that my servant Moses commanded them. But
they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to
do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord de-
stroyed before the children of Israel.
And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets,
saying. Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done
these abominations, and hath done wickedly above
all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and
hath made Judah also to sin with his idols : therefore
thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bring-
ing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that who-
soever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. And
I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and
the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe
Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turn-
ing it upside down. And I will forsake the remnant
of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand
[ ii«o J
XXI] 11. KINGS
of their enemies ; and they shall become a prey and
a spoil to all their enemies ; because they have done
that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked
me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth
out of Egypt, even unto this day. Moreover Manasseh
shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jeru-
salem from one end to another; beside his sin where-
with he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was
evil in the sight of the Lord.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Manasseh, and all that
he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah ?
And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried
in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza :
and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
Amon was twenty and two years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusa-
lem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the
daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did that which
was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manas-
seh did. And he walked in all the way that his father
walked in, and served the idols that his father served,
and worshipped them: and he forsook the Lord God
of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the
Lord.
And the servants of Amon conspired against him,
I [ 1161 ] 2o2
II. KINGS [XXII
and slew the king in his own house. And the people
of the land slew all them that had conspired against
king Amon ; and the people of the land made Josiah
his son king in his stead. Now the rest of the a6ls of
Amon which he did, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Jiidah.^ And he was
buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and
Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem.
And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of
Adaiah of Boscath. And he did that which was right
in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way
of David his father, and turned not aside to the right
hand or to the left.
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king
Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah,
the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the
Lord, saying. Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that
he may sum the silver which is brought into the house
of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have ga-
thered of the people: and let them deliver it into the
hand of the doers of the work, that have the over-
sight of the house of the Lord : and let them give it
to the doers of the work which is in the house of the
Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, unto car-
[ 110^ J
XXII] 11. KINGS
penters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber
and hewn stone to repair the house. Hovvbeit there
was no reckoning made with them of the money that
was delivered into their hand, because they dealt
faithfully.
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the
scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house
of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan,
and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the
king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy
servants have gathered the money that was found in
the house, and have delivered it into the hand of
them that do the work, that have the oversight of the
house of the Lord. And Shaphan the scribe shewed
the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me
a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it
came to pass, when the king had heard the words
of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And
the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam
the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah,
and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the
king's, saying. Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me,
and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the
words of this book that is found: for great is the
wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because
our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this
[ 1168 ]
II. KINGS [xxii
book, to do according unto all that which is written
concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam,and
Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Hul-
dah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of
Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe;
(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and
they communed with her.
And she said unto them. Thus saith the Lord God
of Israel: Tell the man that sent you to me. Thus saith
the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place,
and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words
of the book which the king of Judah hath read : be-
cause they have forsaken me, and have burned in-
cense unto other gods, that they might provoke me
to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore
my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall
not be quenched. But to the king of Judah which sent
you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him:
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the
words which thou hast heard, because thine heart was
tender, and thou hast humbled th3^self before the
Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this
place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they
should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent
thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard
thee, saith the Lord. Behold therefore, I will gather
[ 1164 J
XXIII] II. KINGS
thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into
thy grave in peace ; and thine eyes shall not see all
the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they
brought the king word again.
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all
the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the king
went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of
Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him,
and the priests, and the prophets, and all the peo-
ple, both small and great: and he read in their ears
all the words of the book of the covenant which was
found in the house of the Lord.
And the king stood by a pillar, and made a cove-
nant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to
keep his commandments and his testimonies and his
statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to per-
form the words of this covenant that were written in
this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest,
and the priests of the second order, and the keepers
of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the
Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for
the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he
burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Ki-
dron,and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el. And
he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings
[ 1165 ]
II. KINGS [xxin
of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high
places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round
about Jerusalem ; them also that burned incense unto
Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets,
and to all the host of heaven. And he brought out the
grove from the houseof the Lord, without Jerusalem,
unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook
Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the
powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the
people. And he brake down the houses of the sodom-
ites, that were by the house of the Lord, where the
women wove hangings for the grove. And he brought
all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled
the high places where the priests had burned incense,
from Geba to Beer-sheba, and brake down the high
places of the gates that were in the entering in of the
gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were
on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. Never-
theless the priests of the high places came not up to
the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they did eat
of the unleavened bread among their brethren. And
he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the chil-
dren of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or
his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. And
he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had
given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the
[ 1166 ]
XXIII] 11. KINGS
Lord, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the cham-
berlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the
chariots of the sun with fire. And the altars that were
on the top of the upper chamber of Ah'dz, which the
kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Ma-
nasseh had made in the two courts of the house of
the Lord, did the king beat down, and brake them
down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the
brook Kidron. And the high places that were before
Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount
of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had
builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zido-
nians,and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moab-
ites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children
of Ammon,did the kingdefile. And he brake in pieces
the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their
places with the bones of men.
Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, and the high
place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high
place he brake down, and burned the high place, and
stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.
And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres
that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the
bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon
the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of
[ 1167 ]
II. KINGS [XXIII
the Lord which the man of God proclaimed, who pro-
claimed these words. Then he said, What title is that
that I see.? And the men of the city told him, It is the
sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Ju-
dah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done
against the altar of Beth-el. And he said. Let him
alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his
bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that cam_e
out of Samaria. And all the houses also of the high
places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the
kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord to an-
ger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to
all the a6ls that he had done in Beth-el. And he slew
all the priests of the high places that were there upon
the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and
returned to Jerusalem.
And the king commanded all the people, saying.
Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, as it is
written in the book of this covenant. Surely there was
not holden such a passover from the days of the
judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the
kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah ; but in the
eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover
was holden to the Lord in Jerusalem.
Moreoverthe workers with familiar spirits, and the
wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the
[ 11G8 J
xxiii] II. KINGS
abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and
in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away , that he might per-
form the words of the law which were written in the
book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the
Lord. And like unto him was there no king before
him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and
with all his soul, and with all his might, according to
all the law of Moses ; neither after him arose there
any like him.
Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the
fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger
was kindled against Judah, because of all the provo-
cations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. And
the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my
sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this
city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house
of which I said. My name shall be there. Now the rest
of the a6ls of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah.?
In his days Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went
up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates:
and king Josiah went against him ; and he slew him
at Megiddo, when he had seen him. And his servants
carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and
brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own
[ 1169 ]
II. KINGS [XXIII
sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz
the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him
king in his father's stead.
Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he
began to reign ; and he reigned three months in Je-
rusalem. And his mother's name v/as Hamutal, the
daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did that which
was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all
that his fathers had done. And Pharaoh-nechoh put
him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that
he might not reign in Jerusalem ; and put the land
to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a ta-
lent of gold. And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim the
son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father,
and turned his name to Jehoiakim,and took Jehoahaz
away : and he came to Egypt, and died there. And Je-
hoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh ; but
he taxed the land to give the money according to
the commandment of Pharaoh : he exa6led the silver
and the gold of the people of the land, of every one
according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-
nechoh.
Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he
began to reign ; and he reigned eleven years in Je-
rusalem. And his mother's name was Zebudah, the
daughterof Pedaiah of Rumali. And he did that which
L IITO J
XXIV] II. KINGS
was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that
his fathers had done.
In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came
up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years :
then he turned and rebelled against him. And the
Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and
bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and
bands of the children of Ammon,and sent them against
Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord,
which he spake by his servants the prophets. Surely
at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Ju-
dah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of
Manasseh, according to all that he did; and also for
the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusa-
lem with innocent blood ; which the Lord would not
pardon.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Jehoiakim, and all that
he did, are they not written in the book of the chroni-
cles of the kings of Judah ? So Jehoiakim slept with
his fathers : and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
And the king of Egypt came not again any more out
of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from
the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that
pertained to the king of Egypt.
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began
to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.
[ 11^1 1
II. KINGS [XXIV
And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter
of El-nathan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was
evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his
father had done.
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city
was besieged. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
came against the city, and his servants did besiege
it. And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the
king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants,
and his princes, and his officers : and the king of Baby-
lon took him in the eighth year of his reign. And he
carried out thence all the treasures of the house of
the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and
cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon
king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as
the Lord had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem,
and all the princes, and all the mighty men of va-
lour, even ten thousand captives, and all the crafts-
men and smiths : none remained, save the poorest sort
of the people of the land. And he carried away Je-
hoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the
king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the
land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem
to Babylon. And all the men of might, even seven
thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all
[ 1172 ]
XXV] II. KINGS
that were strong and apt for war, even them the king
of Babylon brought captive to Babylon,
And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his fa«
ther's brother king in his stead, and changed his name
to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty and one years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years
in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal,
the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did that
which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to
all that Jehoiakim had done. For through the anger
of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah,
until he had cast them out from his presence, that
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign,
in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month,
that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and
all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it;
and they built forts against it round about. And the
city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Ze-
dekiah. And on the ninth day of the fourth month the
famine prevailed in the city^ and there was no bread
for the people of the land.
And the city was broken up, and all the men of
war fled by night by the way of the gate between two
walls, which is by the king's garden : ( now the Chal-
dees were against the city round about : ) and the king
[ 1173 ]
II. KINGS [XXV
went the way toward the plain. And the army of the
Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him
in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scat-
tered from him. So they took the king, and brought
him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah ; and they
gave judgment upon him. And they slew the sons of
Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Ze-
dekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and car-
ried him to Babylon.
And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the
month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebu-
chadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan,
captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Baby-
lon, unto Jerusalem: and he burnt the house of the
Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Je-
rusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with
fire. And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with
the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Je-
rusalem round about. Now the rest of the people that
were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away
to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multi-
tude,did Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carry
away. But the captain of the guard left of the poor of
the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. And the
pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and
the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house
[ 1174 ]
xxvj II. KINGS
of the Lord, did theChaldees break in pieces, and car-
ried the brass of them to Babylon. And the pots, and
the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all
the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took
they away. And the firepans, and the bowls, and such
things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver,
the captain of the guard took away. The two pillars,
one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for
the house of the Lord ; the brass of all these vessels
was without weight. The height of the one pillar was
eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass:
and the height of the chapiter three cubits ; and the
wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter
round about, all of brass : and like unto these had the
second pillar with wreathen work.
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief
priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three
keepers of the door : and out of the city he took an
officer that was set over the men of war, and five men
of them that were in the king's presence, which were
found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host,
which mustered the people of the land, and three-
score men of the people of the land that were found
in the city : and Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard
took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon
to Riblah: and the king of Babylon smote them, and
[ 1175 ]
II. KINGS [XXV
slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah
was carried away out of their land.
And as for the people that remained in the land of
Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had
left, even over them he made Gedaliah, the son of
Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler. And when all the
captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that
the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor,
there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah,and
Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and
Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their
men. And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men,
and said unto them. Fear not to be the servants of the
Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of
Babylon; and it shall be well with you. But it came
to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal,
came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah,
that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were
with him at Mizpah. And all the people, both small
and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and
came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year
of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the
twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the
[ 117() j
XXV] II. KINGS
month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the
year that he began to reign did lift up the head of
Jehoiachin king of Judah out oi' prison ; and he spake
kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of
the kings that were with him in Babylon ; and changed
his prison garments : and he did eat bread continu-
ally before him all the days of his life. And his al-
lowance was a continual allowance given him of the
king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.
[ 1177 ]
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES
A DAM, Sheth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,
^ZjL Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem,
Ham, and Japheth.
The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and
Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Ti-
ras. And thesonsof Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath,
and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and
Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and
Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah,
and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons
of Raamah ; Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nim~
rod : he began to be mighty upon the earth. And Miz-
raim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and
Naphtuhim,and Pathrusim, and Casluhim, ( of whom
came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim. And Canaan
begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth,the Jebusite also,
and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, and the Hivite,
and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and
the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Ar-
phaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and
Gether, and Meshech. And Arphaxad begat Shelah,
[ 1179 ]
I. CHRONICLES [i
and Shelah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born
two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because
in his days the earth was divided : and his brother's
name was Joktan.
And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Ha-
zarmaveth, and Jerah, Hadoram also, and Uzal, and
Diklah,and Ebal,and Abimael,and Sheba,andOphir,
and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of
Joktan.
Shem,Arphaxad,Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu,Serug,
Nahor, Terah, Abram; the same is Abraham. The
sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.
These are their generations : The firstborn of Ish-
mael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mib-
sam,Mishma,and Dumah,Massa,Hadad,andTema,
Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of
Ishmael.
Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine:
she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Mi-
dian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jok-
shan; Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Midian;
Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and El-
daah. All these are the sons of Keturah.
And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac;
Esau and Israel.
The sons of Esau ; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and
[ 1180 J
I] I. CHRONICLES
Jaalam, and Korah.The sons of Eliphaz ; Teman, and
Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and
Amalek. The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Sham-
mah, and Mizzah. And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and
Shobal,and Zibeon,and Anah,and Dishon,and Ezar,
and Dishan. And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Ho-
mam: and Timna was Lotan's sister. The sons of
Shobal ; Alian, and Manahathr, and Ebal, Shephi, and
Onam. And the sons of Zibeon ; Aiah, and Anah. The
sons of Anah ; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon ; Am-
ram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. The sons
of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of
Dishan ; Uz, and Aran.
Now these are the kings that reigned in the land
of Edom before any king reigned over the children
of Israel ; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his
city was Dinhabah. And when Bela was dead, Jobab
the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. And
when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the
Temanites reigned in his stead. And when Husham
was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Mi-
dian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead : and
the name of his city was Avith. And when Hadad was
dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. And
when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the
river reigned in his stead. And when Shaul was dead,
[ 1181 ]
I. CHRONICLES [ii
Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
And when Baal-hanan was dead, Hadad reigned in
his stead : and the name of his city was Pai ; and his
wife's name was Mehetabel,the daughter of Matred,
the daughter of Mezahab. Hadad died also. And the
dukes ofEdom were; dukeTimnah, duke Aliah, duke
Jetheth, duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, duke Mag-
diel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.
These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon,
Levi, and Judah,Issachar,and Zebulun, Dan, Joseph,
and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah:
which three were born unto him of the daughter of
Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah,
was evil in the sight of the Lord; and he slew him.
And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and
Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. The sons of
Pharez ; Hezron, and Hamul. And the sons of Zerah ;
Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol,and Dara:
five of them in all. And the sons of Carmi ; Achar, the
troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing ac-
cursed. And the sons of Ethan; Azariah. The sons
also of Hezron, that were born unto him ; Jerahmeel,
and Ram, and Chelubai. And Ram begat Ammina-
dab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the
[ 1182 J
in I. CHRONICLES
children of Judah; and Nahshon begat Salma, and
Salma begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, and Obed
begat Jesse.
And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab
the second, and Shim ma the third, Nethaneel the
fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ozem the sixth, David the se-
venth: whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And
the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel,
three. And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of
Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.
And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of
Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these;
Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon. And when Azubah
was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare
him Hur. And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Beza-
leel. And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter
of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married
when he was threescore years old ; and she bare him
Segub. And Segub begat Jair, who had three and
twenty cities in the land of Gilead. And he took Ge-
shur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them,
with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore
cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the
father of Gilead. And after that Hezron w^as dead in
Caleb-ephratah, then Abiah Hezron 's wife bare him
Ashur the father of Tekoa.
[ 1183 ]
I. CHRONICLES [ii
And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hez-
ron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren,
and Ozem, and Ahijah. Jerahmeel had also another
wife, whose name was Atarah ; she was the mother
of On am.
And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel
were, Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker. And the sons of
Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of
Shammai ; Nadab, and Abishur. And the name of the
wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bare him Ah-
ban, and Molid. And the sons of Nadab; Seled, and
Appaim: but Seled died without children. And the
sons of Appaim ; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi ; Sheshan.
And the children of Sheshan ; Ahlai. And the sons of
Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan:
and Jether died without children. And the sons of
Jonathan ; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of
Jerahmeel.
Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And
Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was
Jarha. And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his ser-
vant to wife ; and she bare him Attai. And Attai begat
Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad, and Zabad begat
Ephlal,and Ephlal begat Obed, and Obed begat Jehu,
and Jehu begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Helez,
and Helez begat Eleasah, and Eleasah begat Sisa-
[ 1184 J
in I. CHRONICLES
mai, and Sisamai begat Shallum, and Shallum begat
Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel
were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of
Ziph ;and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.
And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and
Rekem, and Shema. And Shema begat Raham, the
father of Jorkoam: and Rekem begat Shammai, And
the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the
father of Beth-zur. And Ephah, Caleb's concubine,
bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat
Gazez. And the sons of Jahdai ; Regem, and Jotham,
and Gesham, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.
Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tir-
hanah. She bare also Shaaph the father of Madman-
nah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father
of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsa.
These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the
firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-
jearim, Salma the father of Beth-lehem, Hareph the
father of Beth-gader. And Shobal the father of Kir-
jath-jearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Ma-
nahethites. And the families of Kirjath-jearim; the
Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and
the Mishraites ; of them came the Zareathites, and the
Eshtaulites. The sons of Salma; Beth-lehem, and the
I [ 1185 ] 2i'
I. CHRONICLES [iii
Nelophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half
of the Manahethites, the Zorites. And the families of
the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the
Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites
that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Re-
chab.
Now these were the sons of David, which were
born unto him in Hebron ; the firstborn Amnon, of
Ahinoam the Jezreelitess : the second Daniel, of Abi-
gail the Carmelitess: the third, Absalom the son of
Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur:
the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: the fifth,
Shephatiah of Abital : the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his
wife. These six were born unto him in Hebron ; and
there he reigned seven years and six months: and in
Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years. And
these were born unto him in Jerusalem ; Shimea, and
Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua
the daughter of Ammiel: Ibhar also, and Elishama,
and Eliphelet, and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. These
were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the
concubines, and Tamar their sister.
And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son,
Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Joram his son, Aha-
ziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah
IV] I. CHRONICLES
his son, Jotham his son. Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his
son, Manasseh his son, Amon his son, Josiah his son.
And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan,
the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth
Shallum. And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his
son, Zedekiah his son.
And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son,
Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jeca-
miah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. And the sons of Pe-
daiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei : and the sons of
Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelo-
mith their sister: and Hashubah, and Ohel, and Be-
rechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushab-hesed, five. And the
sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of
Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah,
the sons of Shechaniah. And the sons of Shechaniah;
Shernaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and
Igeal, and Bariah,and Neariah,and Shaphat, six. And
the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and
Azrikam, three. And the sons of Elioenai were, Ho-
daiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkiib, and Jo-
hanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.
The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi,
and Hur, and Shobal. And Reaiah the son of Shobal
begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad.
These are the families of the Zorathites. And these
[ ll«7 ]
I. CHRONICLES [iv
were of the father of Etam ; Jezreel, and Ishma, and
Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelel-
poni : and Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the
father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the
firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Beth-lehem. And
Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and
Naarah. And Naarah bare him Ahuzam, and He-
pher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the
sons of Naarah. And the sons of Helah were, Ze-
reth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan. And Coz begat Anub,
and Zobebah, and the famihes of Aharhel the son of
Harum.
And Jabez was more honourable than his bre-
thren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying,
Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called
on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest
bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine
hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep
me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God
granted him that which he requested.
And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir,
which was the father of Eshton. And Eshton begat
Beth-rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of
Ir-nahash. These are the men of Rechah. And the
sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of
Othniel ; Hathath. And Meonothai begat Ophrah : and
[ 1188 ]
IV] I. CHRONICLES
Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Cha-
rashim ; for they were craftsmen.
And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh ; Iru,
Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.
And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria,
and Asareel. And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and
Mered,and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam,
and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Ge-
dor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the
father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah
the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took. And the
sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the fa-
ther of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maa-
chathite. And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and
Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi
were, Zoheth, and Ben-zoheth.The sons of Sh elah the
son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laa-
dah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the
house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house
of Ashbea, and Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and
Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab,
and Jashubi-lehem. And these are ancient things.
These were the potters, and those that dwelt among
plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king
for his work.
[ 1189 ]
I. CHRONICLES [iv
-: The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Ja-
rib, Zerah, and Shaul: Shallum his son, Mibsam his
son, Mishma his son. And the sons of Mishma; Ha-
muel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei his son. And
Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his
brethren had not many children, neither did all their
family multiply, like to the children of Judah. And
they dwelt at Beer-sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-
shual, and at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad, and
at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag, and at Beth-
marcaboth, and Hazar-susim, and at Beth-birei, and
at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign
of David. And their villages were, Etam, and Ain,
Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities: and all
their villages that were round about the same cities,
unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their ge-
nealogy.
And Meshobab, and Jamiech, and Joshah the son
of Amaziah, and Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah,
the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, and Elioenai, and
Jaakobah,and Jeshohaiah,and Asaiah, and Adiel, and
Jesimiel, and Benaiah, and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the
son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri,
the son of Shemaiah ; these mentioned by their names
were princes in their families: and the house of their
fathers increased greatly. And they went to the en-
[ 1190 ]
V] I. CHRONICLES
trance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley,
to seek pasture for their flocks. And they found fat
pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet,
and peaceable ; for they of Ham had dwelt there of
old. And these written by name came in the days of
Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and
the habitations that were found there, and destroyed
them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms:
because there was pasture there for their flocks. And
some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hun-
dred men, went to mount Seir, having for their cap-
tains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel,
the sons of Ishi. And they smote the rest of the Ama-
lekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this
day.
Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel,
(for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he de-
filed his father's bed, his birthright was given unto
the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the gene-
alogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For
Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came
the chief ruler ; but the birthright was Joseph's: ) the
sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were,
Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of
Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son, Beerah his
[ 1191 ]
I. CHRONICLES [v
son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried
away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites. And
his brethren by their families, when the genealogy
of their generations was reckoned, were the chief,
Jeiel, and Zechariah, and Bela the son of Azaz, the
son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer,
even unto Nebo and Baal-meon: and eastward he in-
habited unto the entering in of the wilderness from
the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multi-
plied in the land of Gilead. And in the days of Saul
they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their
hand : and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the
east land of Gilead.
And the children of Gad dwelt over against them,
in the land of Bashan unto Salcah : Joel the chief, and
Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Ba-
shan. And their brethren of the house of their fathers
were, Michael, and Meshullam,and Sheba,and Jorai,
and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven. These are
the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Ja-
roah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son
of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz ; Ahi
the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house
of their fathers. And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan,
and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon,
upon their borders. All these were reckoned by ge-
[ 119^ ]
V] I. CHRONICLES
nealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and
in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the
tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear
buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skil-
ful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hun-
dred and threescore, that went out to the war. And
they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and
Nephish, and Nodab. And they were helped against
them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their
hand, and all that were with them : for they cried to
God in the battle, and he was intreated of them ; be-
cause they put their trust in him. And they took away
their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of
sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses
two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand. For
there fell down many slain, because the war was of
God. And they dwelt in their steads until the cap-
tivity.
And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh
dwelt in the land : they increased from Bashan unto
Baal-hermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.
And these were the heads of the house of their fa-
thers,even Epher,and Ishi,and Eliel,and Azriel,and
Jeremiah, and Hodaviah,and Jahdiel, mighty men of
valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their
I [ 1193 ] 2p^
I. CHRONICLES [vi
fathers. And they transgressed against the God of
their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of
the people of the land, whom God destroyed before
them. And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of
Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser
king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the
Reubenites,and the Gadites,and the half tribe of Ma-
nasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor,
and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.
The sons of Levi ; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
And the sons of Kohath ; Amram, Izhar, and He-
bron, andUzziel. And the children of Amram ; Aaron,
and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron ;Na-
dab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua,
and Abishua begat Bukki,and Bukki begat Uzzi, and
Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth,
Meraioth'biegat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahi-
tub, and Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahi-
maaz, and Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat
Johanan, and Johanan begat Azariah, ( he it is that ex-
ecuted the priest's office in the temple that Solomon
built in Jerusalem : ) and Azariah begat Amariah, and
Amariah begat Ahitub, and Ahitub begat Zadok, and
Zadok begat Shalkim , and Sliallum begat Hilkiah,and
Hilkiah begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Seraiah,
[ 1194 ]
VI] I. CHRONICLES
and Seraiah begat Jehozadak, and Jehozadak went in-
to captivity, when the Lord carried away Judah and
Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
And these be the names of the sons of Gershom ;
Libni, and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath were, Am-
ram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of
Merari; Mahli, and Mushi.
And these are the families of the Levites according
to their fathers. Of Gershom ; Libni his son, Jahath his
son,Zimmah his son,Joah his son,Iddo his son,Zerah
his son, Jeaterai his son. The sons of Kohath; Ammi-
nadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, Elkanah
his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,Ta-
hath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul
his son. And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahi-
moth. As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai
his son, and Nahath his son, Eliab his son, Jeroham
his son, Elkanah his son. And the sons of Samuel;
the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah. The sons of Merari;
Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza his son,
Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.
And these are they whom David set over the ser-
vice of song in the house of the Lord, after that the
ark had rest. And they ministered before the dwelling
place of the tabernacle of the congregation with sing-
[ 1195 ]
I. CHRONICLES [vi
ing, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in
Jerusalem : and then they waited on their office accord-
ing to their order.
And these are they that waited with their children.
Of the sons of the Kohathites : Heman a singer, the
son of Joel, the son of Shemuel, the son of Elkanah,
the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Ma-
hath, the son of Amasai, the son of Elkanah, the son
of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, the
son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph,
the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath,
the son of Levi, the son of Israel. And his brother
Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the
son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Mi-
chael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah, the
son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shi-
mei, the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son
of Levi. And their brethren the sons of Merari stood
on the left hand: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of
Abdi, the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah, the
son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Amzi,
the son of Bani, the son of Shamer, the son of Mahli,
the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
Their brethren also the Levites were appointed un-
[ 1196 ]
VI] I. CHRONICLES
to all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house
of God.
But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of
the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and
were appointed for ail the work of the place most
holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, accord-
ing to all that Moses the servant of God had com-
manded. And these are the sons of Aaron ; Eleazar his
son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son,
Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Meraioth his son, Am-
ariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zadok his son, Ahi-
maaz his son.
Now these are their dwelling places throughout
their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of
the families of the Kohathites : for theirs was the lot.
And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah,
and the suburbs thereof round about it. But the fields
of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Ca-
leb the son of Jephunneh. And to the sons of Aaron
they gave the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the
city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jat-
tir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs, and Hilen with
her suburbs, Debir with her suburbs, and Ashan with
her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs:
and out of the tribe of Benjamin ; Geba with her sub-
urbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth
[ 1197 ]
I. CHRONICLES [vi
with her suburbs. All their cities throughout their fa-
milies were thirteen cities.
And unto the sons of Kohath, which were left of
the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the
half tribe, namely, out of the half tribeof Manasseh,
bylotjten cities. And to the sons of Gershom through-
out their families out of the tribe of Issachar, and out
of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naph-
tali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thir-
teen cities. Unto the sons of Merari were given by
lot, throughout their families, out of the tribe of Reu-
ben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe
of Zebulun, twelve cities. And the children of Israel
gave to the Levites these cities with their suburbs.
And they gave by lot out of the tribe of the children
of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Si-
meon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benja-
min, these cities, which are called by their names.
And the residue of the families of the sons of Ko-
hath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of
Ephraim. And they gave unto them, of the cities of re-
fuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs;
they gave also Gezer with her suburbs, and Jokmeam
with her suburbs, and Beth-boron with her suburbs,
and Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with
her suburbs : and out of the half tribe of Manasseh ;
[ 11 {)s ]
VII] I. CHRONICLES
Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs,
for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath.
Unto the sons of Gershom were given out of the
family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Ba-
shan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her sub-
urbs: and out of the tribe of Issachar ; Kedesh with
her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs, and Ramoth
with her suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs: and
out of the tribe of Asher; Mashal with her suburbs,
and Abdon with her suburbs, and Hukok with her
suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs : and out of the
tribe of Naphtaii ; Kedesh in Galilee with her sub-
urbs, and Hammon with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim
with her suburbs.
Unto the rest of the children of Merari were given
out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmon with her sub-
urbs. Tabor with her suburbs: and on the other side
Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of Jordan, were
given them out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the
wilderness with her suburbs, and Jahzah with her
suburbs, Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and Me-
phaath with her suburbs : and out of the tribe of Gad ;
Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim
with her suburbs, and Heshbon with her suburbs, and
Jazer with her suburbs.
Now the sons of Issachar were. Tola, and Puah,
[ 1199 ]
I. CHRONICLES [vii
Jashub, and Shimrom, four. And the sons of Tola;
Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jib-
sam, and Shemuel, heads of their father's house, to
wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their
generations ; whose number was in the days of David
two and twenty thousand and six hundred. And the
sons of Uzzi; Izrahiah: and the sons of Izrahiah;
Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five: all of
them chief men. And with them, by their genera-
tions, after the house of their fathers, were bands of
soldiers for war, six and thirty thousand men: for
they had many wives and sons. And their brethren
among all the families of Issachar were valiant men
of might, reckoned in all by their genealogies four-
score and seven thousand.
The sons of Benjamin ; Bela, and Becher, and Je-
diael, three. And the sons of Bela ; Ezbon, and Uzzi,
and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the
house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; and
were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two
thousand and thirty and four. And the sons of Becher ;
Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and
Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and
Alameth. All these are the sons of Becher. And the
number of them , after their genealogy by their gene-
rations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty
[ 1^200 ]
VII] I. CHRONICLES
men of valour, was twenty thousand and two hun-
dred. The sons also of Jediael; Bilhan: and the sons
of Bilhan ; Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Che-
naanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar.
All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their
fathers, mighty men of valour, were seventeen thou-
sand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go out for war
and battle. Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children
of Ir, and Hushim, the sons of Aher.
The sons of Naphtali ; Jahziel,and Guni,and Jezer,
and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare:
( but his concubine the Aramitess bare Machir the fa-
ther of Gilead : and Machir took to wife the sister of
Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister's name was Ma-
achah ; ) and the name of the second was Zelophehad :
and Zelophehad had daughters. And Maachah the
wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name
Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh;
and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. And the sons
of Ulam ; Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead, the
son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. And his sister
Hammoleketh bare Ishod , and Abiezer , and Mahalah.
And the sons of Shemidah were, Ahian,andShechem,
and Likhi, and Aniam.
And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered
[ 1201 ]
I. CHRONICLES [vii
his son, and Tahath his son, and P^ladah his son, and
Tahath his son, and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah
his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath
that were born in that land slew, because they came
down to take away their cattle. And Ephraim their
father mourned many days, and his brethren came to
comfort him. And when he went in to his wife, she
conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name
Beriah, because it went evil vv^ith his house. (And
his daughter was Sherah, who built Beth-horon the
nether, and the upper, and Uzzen-sherah. ) And Re-
phah was his son, also Resheph, and Telah his son,
and Tahan his son, Laadan his son,Ammihud his son,
Elishamahis son,Nonhis son,Jehoshuah his son. And
their possessions and habitations were, Beth-el and
the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and west-
ward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also
and the towns thereof, unto Gaza and the towns
thereof: and by the borders of the children of Ma-
nasseh, Beth-shean and her towns, Taanach and her
towns, Megiddo and her towns. Dor and her towns.
In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel.
The sons of Asher; Imnah, and Isuah, and Ishuai,
and Beriah, and Serah their sister. And the sons of
Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel, who is the father of
Birzavith. And Heber begat Japhlet,and Shomer,and
[ l^QJ2 ]
yiii] I. CHRONICLES
Hotham, and Shua their sister. And the sons of Japh-
let; Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the
children of Japhlet. And the sons of Shamer ; Ahi, and
Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. And the sons of his
brother Helem ; Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and
Amal. The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher,
and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah, Bezer, and Hod, and
Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. And
the sons of Jether; Jephunneh, and Pispah, and Ara.
And the sons of Ulla; Arab, and Haniel, and Rezia.
All these were the children of Asher, heads of their
father's house, choice and mighty men of valour, chief
of the princes. And the number throughout the ge-
nealogy of them that were apt to the war and to battle
was twenty and six thousand men.
Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel
the second, and Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth,
and Rapha the fifth. And the sons of Bela were, Ad-
dar,and Gera, and Abihud, and Abishua,andNaaman,
and Ahoah, and Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.
And these are the sons of Ehud : these are the heads
of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, and they re-
moved them to Manahath: and Naaman, and Ahiah,
and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza, and
Ahihud. And Shaharaim begat children in the coun-
try of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim
[ 1-03 ]
I. CHRONICLES [viii
and Baara were his wives. And he begat of Hodesh
his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,
and Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These were his
sons, heads of the fathers. And of Hushim he begat
Abitub, and Elpaal. The sons of Elpaal ; Eber, and
Misham, and Shamed, who built Ono, and Lod, with
the towns thereof: Beriah also, and Shema, who were
heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who
drove away the inhabitants of Gath: and Ahio, Sha-
shak, and Jeremoth, and Zebadiah, and Arad, and
Ader, and Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of
Beriah; and Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki,
and Heber, Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the
sons of Elpaal; and Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi,
and Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel, and Adaiah, and
Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of Shimhi; and Ish-
pan, and Heber, and Eliel, and Abdon, and Zichri,
andHanan,and Hananiah,and Elam,and Antothijah,
and Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak ; and
Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah, and Jare-
siah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham.
These were heads of the fathers, by their genera-
tions,chief men. Thesedweltin Jerusalem. And atGi-
beon dwelt the father of Gibeon ; whose wife's name
was Maachah : and his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur,
and Kish,and Baal, and Nadab, and Gedor,and Ahio,
[ 1^204 ]
IX] I. CHRONICLES
and Zacher. And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these
also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over
against them.
And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and
Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abina-
dab, and Esh-baal. And the son of Jonathan was Me-
rib-baal ; and Merib-baal begat Micah. And the sons
of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and
Ahaz. And Ahaz begat Jehoadah; and Jehoadah be-
gat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri ; and Zimri
begat Moza, and Moza begat Binea : Kapha was his
son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son: and Azel had six
sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and
Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. x\ll
these were the sons of Azel. And the sons of Eshek
his brother were, Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the se-
cond, and Eliphelet the third. And the sons of Ulam
were mighty men of valour, archers, and had many
sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty. All these
are of the sons of Benjamin.
So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and,
behold, they were written in the book of the kings of
Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon
for their transgression.
Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their pos-
sessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests,
[ 1205 ]
I. CHRONICLES [rx
Levites, and the Nethinims. And in Jerusalem dwelt
of the children of Jiidah, and of the children of Ben-
jamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manas-
seh; Uthai the son of Ammihud,the son of Omri, the
son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Pha-
rez the son of Judah. And of the Shilonites ; Asaiah
the firstborn, and his sons. And of the sons of Zerah ;
Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety.
And of the sons of Benjamin ; Sallu the son of Me-
shullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah,
and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son
of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son
of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah ;
and their brethren, according to their generations,
nine hundred and fifty and six. All these men were
chief of the fathers in the house of their fathers.
And of the priests; Jed aiah, and Jehoiarib, and Ja-
chin, and Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Me-
shullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the
son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God ; and
Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the
son of JMalchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the
son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of
Meshillemith, the son of Immer ; and their brethren,
heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and
seven hundred and threescore ; very able men for the
[ 1^06 ]
IX] I. CHRONICLES
work of the service of the house of God.
And of the Levites ; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub,
the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons
of Merari: and Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and
Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the soil
of Asaph; and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son
of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son
of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages
of the Netophathites.
And the porters were, Shalliim, and Akkub, and
Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum
was the chief; who hitherto waited in the king's gate
eastward: they were porters in the companies of the
children of Levi. And Shallum the son of Kore, the
son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren,
of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over
the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the
tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of
the Lord, were keepers of the entry. And Phinehas
the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time
past, and the Lord was with him. And Zechariah the
son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. All these which were
chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred
and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy
in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer
[ 1207 ]
I
I. CHRONICLES [ix
did ordain in tlieir set office. So they and their chil-
dren had the oversight of the gates of the house of
the Lord, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by
wards. In four quarters were the porters, toward the
east, west, north, and south. And their brethren, which
were in their villages, were to come after seven days
from time to time with them.
For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in
their set office, and were over the chambers and trea-
suries of the house of God. And they lodged round
about the house of God, because the charge was upon
them, and the opening thereof every morning per-
tained to them. And certain of them had the charge
of the ministering vessels, that they should bring
them in and out. by tale. Some of them also were ap-
pointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments
of the san6luary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and
the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices. And
some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of
the spices. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who
was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the
set office over the things that were made in the pans.
And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Ko-
hathites,were over the shewbread, to prepare it every
sabbath. And these are the singers, chief of the fa-
thers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers
[ 1208 ]
X] I. CHRONICLES
were free: for they were employed in that work day
and night. These chief fathers of the Levites were
chief throughout their generations ; these dwelt at Je-
rusalem.
And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel,
whose wife's name was Maachah : and his firstborn
son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner,
and Nadab, and Gedor, and Ahio, andZechariah,and
Mikloth. And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also
dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against
their brethren. And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat
Saul ; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and
Abinadab,and Esh-baal. And the son of Jonathan was
Merib-baal: and Merib-baal begat Micah. And the
sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea,
and Ahaz. And Ahaz begat Jarah ; and Jarah begat
Alemeth,and Azmaveth,and Zimri; and Zimri begat
Moza ; and Moza begat Binea ; and Rephaiah his son,
Eleasah his son, Azel his son. And Azel had six sons,
whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ish-
mael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these
were the sons of Azel.
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 fol-
lowed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the
[ 1209 ]
I. CHRONICLES [x
Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinaclab, and Mal-
chi-shua, the sons of Saul. And the battle went sore
against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was
wounded of the archers. Then said Saul to his ar-
mourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through
therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse
me. But his annourbearer would not ; for he was sore
afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. And
when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he
fell likewise on the sword, and died. So Saul died, and
his three sons, and all his house died together.
And when all the men of Israel that were in the
valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons
were dead,then they forsook their 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 sons fallen
in mount Gilboa. And when they had stripped him,
they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the
land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings
unto their idols, and to the people. And they put his
armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his
head in the temple of Dagon. And when all Jabesh-
gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
they arose, all the valiant men, and took away the
body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought
[ 1^10 ]
XI] I. CHRONICLES
them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak
in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
So Saul died for his transgression which he com-
mitted against the Lord, even against the word of the
Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel
of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; and
enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and
turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
Then all Israel gathered themselves to David un-
to Hebron, saying. Behold, we are thy bone and thy
flesh. And moreover in time past, even when Saul
was king, thou wast he that leddest out and brought-
est in Israel: and the Lord thy God said unto thee,
Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be
ruler over my people Israel. Therefore came all the
elders of Israel to the king to Hebron ; and David
made a covenant with them in Hebron before the
Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, ac-
cording to the word of the Lord by Samuel.
And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which
is Jebus ; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants
of the land. And the inhabitants of Jebus said to Da-
vid, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David
took the castle of Zion , which is the city of David. And
David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first
shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah
[ 1211 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xi
went first up, and was chief. And David dwelt in
the castle ; therefore they called it the city of David.
And he built the city round about, even from Millo
round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city.
So David waxed greater and greater: for the Lord
of hosts was with him.
These also are the chief of the mighty men whom
David had, who strengthened themselves with him
in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king,
according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.
And this is the number of the mighty men whom Da-
vid had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the
captains : he lifted up his spear against three hundred
slain by him at one time. And after him was Eleazar
the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the
three mighties. He was with David at Pas-dammim,
and there the Philistines were gathered together to
battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley ;
and the people fled from before the Philistines. And
they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and
delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord
saved them by a great deliverance.
Now three of the thirty captains went down to the
rock to David, into the cave of Adullam ; and the host
of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines'
[ 1212 ]
XI] I. CHRONICLES
garrison was then at Beth-lehem. And David longed,
and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the wa-
ter of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate ! And
the three brake through the host of the Philistines,
and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that
was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David :
but David would not drink of it, but poured it out
to the Lord, and said. My God forbid it me, that I
should do this thing : shall I drink the blood of these
men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with
the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore
he would not drink it. These things did these three
mightiest. And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was
chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against
three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among
the three. Of the three, he was more honourable than
the two ; for he was their captain : hovv^beit he attained
not to the first three. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the
son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many
a6ls ; he slew two lionlike men of Moab : also he went
down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. And he
slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits
high ; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a
weaver's beam ; and he went down to him with a staff,
and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and
slew him with his own spear. These things did Be-
[ 1213 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xi
naiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among
the three mighties. Behold, he was honourable among
the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and Da-
vid set him over his guard.
Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel
the brother of Joab,Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-
lehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-ezer the Anto-
thite, Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Ma-
harai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the
Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that
pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pi-
rathonite,Hurai of the brooksof Gaash, Abiel the Ar-
bathite, Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaal-
bonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan
the son of Shage the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sacar
the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, Hepher the M e-
cherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Hezro the Carmel-
ite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, Joel the brother of Na-
than, Mibhar the son of Haggeri, Zelek the Ammon-
ite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab
the son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, Adina the
son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reuben-
ites, and thirty with him, Hanan the son of Maachah,
and Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite,
[ 1214 ]
XII] I. CHRONICLES
Shama and Jehiel the sonsof Hothan the Aroerite, Je-
diaei the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Ti~
zite, Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah,
the sons of Ehiaam,and Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel,
and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.
Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag,
while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the
son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men,
helpers of the war. They were armed with bows, and
could use both the right hand and the left in hurl-
ing stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even
of SauFs brethren of Benjamin. The chief was Ahie-
zer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite ;
and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth ; and Be-
rachah, and Jehu the Antothite, and Ismaiah the Gi-
beonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over
the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan,
and Josabad the Gederathite, Eluzai, and Jerimoth,
and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Ha-
ruphite, Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joe-
zer , and Jashobeam , the Korhites, and Joelah, and Ze-
badiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto
David into the hold to the wilderness men of might,
and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle
shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of
[ 1215 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xii
lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the moun-
tains; Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the
third, Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, At-
tai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, Johanan the eighth,
Elzabad the ninth, Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai
the eleventh. These were of the sons of Gad, captains
of the host : one of the least was over an hundred, and
the greatest over a thousand. These are they that
went over Jordan in the first month, when it had over-
flown all his banks; and they put to flight all them
of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the
west.
And there came of the children of Benjamin and
Judah to the hold unto David. And David went out to
meet them, and answered and said unto them. If ye
be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart
shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray
me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine
hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and re-
buke it. Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was
chief of the captains, and he said. Thine are we, Da-
vid, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace
be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy
God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and
made them captains of the band. And there fell some
of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Phi-
[ 1216 J
XII] I. CHRONICLES
listines against Saul to battle: but they helped them
not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement
sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul
to the jeopardy of our heads. As he went to Ziklag,
there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad,
and Jediael,and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu,and
Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manas-
seh. And they helped David against the band of the
rovers : for they were all mighty men of valour, and
were captains in the host. For at that time day by day
there came to David to help him, until it was a great
host, like the host of God.
And these are the numbers of the bands that were
ready armed to the war, and came to David to He-
bron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to
the word of the Lord. The children of Judah that bare
shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred,
ready armed to the war. Of the children of Simeon,
mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand
and one hundred. Of the children of Levi four thou-
sand and six hundred. And Jehoiada was the leader of
the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and
seven hundred ; and Zadok, a young man mighty of
valour, and of his father's house twenty and tw o cap-
tains. And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred
of Saul, three thousand : for hitherto the greatest part
I [ 1217 ] 2q
I. CHRONICLES [xii
of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul. And
of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight
hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout
the house of their fathers. And of the half tribe of Ma-
nasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by
name, to come and make David king. And of the chil-
dren of Issachar, which weremen thathad understand-
ing of the times, to know what Israel ought to do ; the
heads of them were two hundred ; and all their bre-
thren were at their commandment. Of Zebulun, such
as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instru-
ments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank :
they were not of double heart. And of Naphtali a thou-
sand captains, and with them with shield and spear
thirty and seven thousand. And of the Danites expert
in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.
And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in
war, forty thousand. And on the other side of Jordan,
of theReubenites,and theGadites,and of the half tribe
of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war
for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand. All
these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a
perfe6l heart to Hebron, to make David king over all
Israel : and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart
to make David king. And there they were with David
three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren
[ l^l« ]
XIII] I. CHRONICLES
had prepared for them . Moreover they that were nigh
them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naph-
tali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on
mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and
bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and
sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.
t And David consulted with the captains of thousands
and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said
unto all the congregationof Israel, If it seem good un-
to you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send
abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in
all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests
and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs,
that they may gather themselves unto us: and let us
bring again the ark of our God to us : for we enquired
not at it in the days of Saul. And all the congrega-
tion said that they would do so : for the thing was right
in the eyes of all the people. So David gathered all
Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the
entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from
Kirjath-jearim. And David went up, and all Israel, to
Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to
Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord,
that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is
called on it. And they carried the ark of God in a
new cart out of the house of Abinadab : and Uzza and
[ 1219 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xiv
Ahio drave the cart. And David and all Israel played
before God with all their might, and with singing,
and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels,
and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
And when they came unto the threshingfloorof Chi-
don, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark ; for the
oxen stumbled. And theangerof the Lord was kindled
against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his
hand to the ark: and there he died before God. And
David was displeased, because the Lord had made
a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called
Perez-uzza to this day. And David was afraid of God
that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God
home to me.^^ So David brought not the ark home to
himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into
the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of
God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his
house three months. And the Lord blessed the house
of Obed-edom, and all that he had.
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to Da-
vid, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpen-
ters, to build him an house. And David perceived that
the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, for his
kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people
Israel. And David took more wives at Jerusalem : and
David begat more sons and daughters. Now these
[ 1220 ]
XIV] I. CHRONICLES
are the names of his children which he had in Jerusa-
lem ; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon ,
and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, and Nogah, and
Nepheg, and Japhia,and Elishama, and Beeliada, and
Eliphalet.
And when the Philistines heard that David was
anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went
up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went
out against them. And the Philistines came and spread
themselves in the valley of Rephaim . And David en-
quired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Phi-
listines.^ and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand.^*
And the Lord said unto him. Go up; for I will de-
liver them into thine hand. So they came up to Baal-
perazim ; and David smote them there. Then David
said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine
hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore
they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. And
when they had left their gods there, David gave a
commandment, and they were burned with fire. And
the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in
the valley. Therefore David enquired again of God ;
and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn
away from them, and come upon them over against
the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when thou shalt
hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry
[ 1221 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xv
trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is
gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philis-
tines. David therefore did as God commanded him :
and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon
even to Gazer. And the fame of David went out into
all lands ; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon
all nations.
And David made him houses in the city of David,
and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched
for it a tent. Then David said, None ought to carry the
ark of God but the Levites : for them hath the Lord
chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto
him for ever. And David gathered all Israel together
to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto
his place, which he had prepared for it. And David as-
sembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites : of the
sons of Kohath ; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an
hundred and twenty : of the sons of Merari ; Asaiah
the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty :
of the sons of Gershom ; Joel the chief, and his bre-
thren an hundred and thirty: of the sons of Eliza-
phan ; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two liun-
dred: of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his
brethren fourscore: of the sons of Uzziel; Ammina-
dab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve.
And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests,
[ 1222 ]
XV] I. CHRONICLES
and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, She-
maiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, and said unto them ,
Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites : sanc-
tify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye
may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel un-
to the place that I have prepared for it. For because
ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a
breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the
due order.
So the priests and the Levites san6lified themselves
to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. And the
children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their
shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses com-
manded according to the word of the Lord. And Da-
vid spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their
brethren to be the singers with instruments of mu-
sick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by
lifting up the voice with joy. So the Levites appointed
Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph
the son of Berechiah ; and of the sons of Merari their
brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; and with them
their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben,
and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni,
Eliab, andBenaiah,andMaaseiah,and Mattithiah,and
Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel,
the porters. So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan,
[ 1223 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xv
were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass ; and
Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel,
and Unni,and Eliab,and Maaseiah,and Benaiah,with
psalteries on Alamoth; and Mattithiah, and Eliphe-
leh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and
Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel. And
Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he in-
stru6led about the song, because he was skilful. And
Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the
ark. And Shebaniah,and Jehoshaphat,andNethaneel,
and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah,and Eliezer,
the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the
ark of God : and Obed-edom and Jehiah were door-
keepers for the ark.
So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains
over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the cove-
nant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with
joy. And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites
thatbare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they
offered seven bullocks and seven rams. And David
was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Le-
vites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chena-
niah the master of the song with the singers : David
also had upon him an ephod of linen. Thus all Israel
brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with
shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trum-
[ 1224 ]
XVI] I. CHRONICLES
pets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalte-
ries and harps. And it came to pass, as the ark of the
covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that
Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window
saw king David dancing and playing: and she de-
spised him in her heart.
So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the
midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and
they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings be-
fore God. And when David had made an end of offer-
ing the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he
blessed the people in the name of the Lord. And he
dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to
every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh,
and a flagon of wine.
And he apjx)inted certain of the Levites to minister
before the ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank
and praise the Lord God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and
next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and
Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and
Obed-edom : and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps ;
but Asaph made a sound with cymbals ; Benaiah also
and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually be-
fore the ark of the covenant of God. Then on that day
David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord
into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.
I [ 1225 ] 2q2
I. CHRONICLES [xvi
Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name,
Make known his deeds among the people.
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him.
Talk ye of all his vv^ondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name:
Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord and his strength,
Seek his face continually.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done.
His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
O ye seed of Israel his servant,
Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
Be ye mindful always of his covenant ;
The word which he commanded to a thousand ge-
nerations ;
Even of the covenant which he made with Abra-
ham,
And of his oath unto Isaac ;
And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law,
And to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan,
The lot of your inheritance ;
When ye were but few.
Even a few, and strangers in it.
And when the}^ went from nation to nation,
[ 1226 ]
XVI] I. CHRONICLES
And from one kingdom to another people;
He suffered no man to do them wrong:
Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
Saying, Touch not mine anointed.
And do my prophets no harm.
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth;
Shew forth from day to day his salvation.
Declare his glory among the heathen ;
His marvellous works among all nations.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised:
He also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the people are idols :
But the Lord made the heavens.
Glory and honour are in his presence;
Strength and gladness are in his place.
Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people.
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name:
Bring an offering, and come before him :
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Fear before him, all the earth:
The world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice:
And let men say among the nations. The Lord reign-
eth.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof:
Let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
[ 1227 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xvi
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the
presence of the Lord,
Because he cometh to judge the earth.
O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good ;
For his mercy endureth for ever.
And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation,
And gather us together, and deliver us from the
heathen,
That we may give thanks to thy holy name,
And glory in thy praise.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
For ever and ever.
And all the people said. Amen, and praised the Lord.
So he left there before the ark of the covenant of
the Lord Asaph and his brethren, to minister before
the ark continually, as every day's work required:
and Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and
eight ; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Ho-
sah to be porters: and Zadok the priest, and his bre-
thren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord
in the high place that was at Gibeon, to offer burnt
offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt
offering continually morning and evening, and to do
according to all that is written in the law of the Lord,
which he commanded Israel ; and with them Heman
and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who
[ 12^8 ]
XVII] I. CHRONICLES
were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord,
because his mercy endureth for ever; and with them
Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for
those that should make a sound, and with musical in-
struments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were
porters. And all the people departed every man to his
house: and David returned to bless his house.
Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that
David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an
house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the
Lord remaineth under curtains. Then Nathan said un-
to David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is
with thee.
And it came to pass the same night, that the word
of God came to Nathan, saying. Go and tell David
my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build
me an house to dwell in: for I have not dwelt in an
house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this
day ; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one ta-
bernacle to another. Wheresoever I have walked with
all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Is-
rael, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying.
Why have ye not built me an house of cedars ? Now
therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the
sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou
[ 1229 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xvii
shouldest be ruler over my people Israel : and I have
been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and
have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and
have made thee a name Hke the name of the great
men that are in the earth. Also I will ordain a place for
my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall
dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more;
neither shall the children of wickedness waste them
any more, as at the beginning, and since the time
that I commanded judges to be over my people Is-
rael. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Fur-
thermore I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an
house. And it shall come to pass, when thy days be
expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that
I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of
thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall
build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for
ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son : and
I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took
it from him that was before thee : but I will settle him
in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his
throne shall be established for evermore. According
to all these words, and according to all this vision, so
did Nathan speak unto David.
And David the king came and sat before the Lord,
and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine
[ ISiiO ]
XVII] I. CHRONICLES
house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet
this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God ; for thou
hast afso spoken of thy servant's house for a great
while to come, and hast regarded me according to the
estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. What
can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy
servant? for thou knowest thy servant. O Lord, for
thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart,
hast thou done all this greatness, in making known
all these great things. O Lord, there is none like
thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according
to all that we have heard with our ears. And what one
nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom
God went to redeem to be his own people, to make
thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving
out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast
redeemed out of Egypt? For thy people Israel didst
thou make thine ovv^n people for ever ; and thou, Lord,
becamest their God. Therefore now, Lord, let the
thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant
and concerning his house be established for ever, and
do as thou hast said. Let it even be established, that
thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The
Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Is-
rael : and let the house of David thy servant be esta-
blished before thee. For thou, O my God, hast told
[ 1231 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xviii
thy servant that thou wilt huild him an house : there-
fore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray be-
fore thee. And now, Lord, thou art God, and hast
promised this goodness unto thy servant: now there-
fore let it please thee to bless the house of thy ser-
vant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou
blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever.
Now after this it came to pass, that David smote
the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and
her towns out of the hand of the Philistines. And he
smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's ser-
vants,and brought gifts. And David smote Hadarezer
king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish
his dominion by the river Euphrates. And David took
from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand
horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also
houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them
an hundred chariots. And when the Syrians of Da-
mascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, Da-
vid slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
Then David put garrisons in Syria-dam ascus ; and
the Syrians became David's servants, and brought
gifts. Thus the Lord preserved David whithersoever
he went. And David took the shields of gold that were
on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to
Jerusalem. Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun,
[ 123J2 ]
XVIII] I. CHRONICLES
cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass,
wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pil-
lars, and the vessels of brass.
Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David
had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah ;
he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of
his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had
fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him ; ( for Ha-
darezer had war with Tou ; ) and with him all man-
ner of vessels of gold and silver and brass. Them also
king David dedicated unto the Lord, with the silver
and the gold that he brought from all these nations ;
from. Edom, and from Moab, and from the children
of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Ama-
lek. Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the
Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand. And
he put garrisons in Edom ; and all the Edomites be-
came David's servants. Thus the Lord preserved Da-
vid whithersoever he v^^ent.
So David reigned over all Israel, and executed
judgment and justice among all his people. And Joab
the son of Zeruiah was over the host ; and Jehosha-
phat the son of Ahilud, recorder. And Zadok the son
of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were
the priests ; and Shavsha was scribe ; and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pe-
[ 1233 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xix
lethites ; and the sons of David were chief about the
king. i:i ivrfB
Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king
of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in
his stead. And David said, I will shew kindness unto
Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed
kindness to me. And David sent messengers to com-
fort him concerning his father. So the servants of
David came into the land of the children of Ammon
to Hanun, to comfort him. But the princes of the chil-
dren of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that
David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent com-
forters unto thee ? are not his servants come unto thee
for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the
land.? Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and
shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst
iiard by their buttocks, and sent them away.
Then there went certain, and told David how the
men were served. And 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 re-
turn. And when the children of Ammon saw that they
had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the
children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver
to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Meso{)o-
tamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.
[ 1234 ]
XIX] I. CHRONICLES
So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and
the king of Maachah and his people; who came and
pitched before Medeba. And the children of Amnion
gathered themselves together from their cities, and
came to battle. And when David heard of it, he sent
Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. And the
children of Amnion came out, and put the battle in
array before the gate of the city : and the kings that
were come were by themselves in the field. Now
when Joab sav/ that the battle v/as set against him be-
fore and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Is-
rael, and put them in array against the Syrians. And
the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of
Abishai his brother, and they set themselves 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 help thee. Be of good courage, and let us
behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the
cities of our God : and let the Lord do that which is
good in his sight. So Joab and the people that were
with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the bat-
tle ; and they fled before him . And when the children
of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they like-
wise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into
the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
[ 1235 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xx
And when the Syrians saw that they were put to
the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and
drew forth the Syrians that w^ere beyond the river:
and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer
went before them. And it was told David; and he
gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came
upon them, and set the battle in array against them.
So when David had put the battle in array against the
Syrians, they fought with him. But the Syrians fled
before Israel ; and David slew of the Syrians seven
thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty
thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain
of the host. And when the servants of Hadarezer saw
that they were put to the worse before Israel, they
made peace with David, and became his servants : nei-
ther would the Syrians help the children of Ammon
any more.
And it came to pass, that after the year was ex-
pired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led
forth the power of the army, and wasted the country
of die children of Ammon, and came and besieged
Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab
smote Rabbah, and destroyed it. And David took the
crown of their king from off his head, and found it
to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious
stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and
[ liiSG ]
XXI] I. CHRONICLES
he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.
And he brought out the people that were in it, and
cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and
with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of
the children of Ammon. And David and all the peo-
ple returned to Jerusalem.
And it came to pass after this, that there arose war
at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbe-
chai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the chil-
dren of the giant: and they were subdued. And there
was war again with the Philistines ; and Elhanan the
son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Git-
tite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. And
yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man
of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four
and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot:
and he also was the son of the giant. But when he de-
fied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's bro-
ther slew him. These were born unto the giant in
Gath ; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the
hand of his servants.
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked
David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and
to the rulers of the people. Go, number Israel from
Beer-sheba even to Dan ; and bring the number of
them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered,
[ 1237 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxi
The Lord make his people an hundred times so many:
more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not
all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord re-
quire this thing ? why will he be a cause of trespass
to Israel? Nevertheless the king's word prevailed
against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went
throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
And Joab gave the sum of the number of the peo-
ple unto David. And all they of Israel were a thou-
sand thousand and an hundred thousand men that
drew sword : and Judah was four hundred threescore
and ten thousand men that drew sword. But Levi
and Benjamin counted he not among them : for the
king's word was abominable to Joab. And God was
displeased with this thing ; therefore he smote Israel.
And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, be-
cause I have done this thing : but now, I beseech thee,
do away the iniquity of thy servant ; for I have done
very foolishly. And the Lord spake unto Gad, David's
seer, saying, Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith
the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose thee one
of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to
David, and said unto him. Thus saith the Lord, Choose
thee either three years' famine; or three months to
be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword
of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days
[ 1T6H ]
XXI] ^ I. CHRONICLES
the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the
land, and the angel of the Lord destroying through-
out all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thy-
self what word I shall bring again to him that sent
me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait:
let me fall now into the hand of the Lord ; for very-
great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the
hand of man.
So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel : and there
fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent
an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it : and as he was
destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of
the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed. It is
enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the
Lord stood by the threshingfloor of Oman the Jebu-
site. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel
of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven,
having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over
Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who
were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. And
David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the
people to be numbered.? even I it is that have sinned
and done evil indeed ; but as for these sheep, what
have they done.? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord
my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but
not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
[ 1239 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxi
Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to
say to David, that David should go up, and set up
an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Or-
nan the Jebusite. And David went up at the saying
of Gad, which he spake in the name of the Lord.
And Oman turned back, and saw the angel; and his
four sons with him hid themselves. Now Oman was
threshing wheat. And as David came to Oman, Oman
looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-
floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to
the ground. Then David said to Oman, Grant me the
place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar
therein unto the Lord: thou shalt grant it me for the
full price : that the plague may be stayed from the
people. And Oman said unto David, Take it to thee,
and let my lord the king do that which is good in his
eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offer-
ings,and the threshing instruments for wood, and the
wheat for the meat offering; I give it all. And king
David said to Oman, Nay ; but I will verily buy it for
the full price: for I will not take that which is thine
for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. So
David gave to Oman for the place six hundred slie-
kels of gold by weight. And David built there an altar
unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings, and called upon the I .ord ; and he answered
[ i;^40 ]
XXII] I. CHRONICLES
him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt of-
fering. And the Lord commanded the angel ; and he
put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
At that time when David saw that the Lord had an-
swered him in the threshingfloor of Oman the Jebu-
site,then he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of the
Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the
altar of the burnt oflTering, were at that season in the
high place at Gibeon. But David could not go before
it to enquire of God : for he was afraid because of the
sword of the angel of the Lord.
Then David said. This is the house of the Lord
God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Is-
rael. And David commanded to gather together the
strangers that were in the land of Israel ; and he set
masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of
God. And David prepared iron in abundance for the
nails for the doors of the gates, and for the join-
ings ; and brass in abundance without weight ; also ce-
dar trees in abundance : for the Zidonians and they of
Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. And David
said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the
house that is to be builded for the Lord must be ex-
ceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout
all countries : I will therefore now make preparation
for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
[ 1241 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxir
Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged
him to build an house for the Lord God of Israel.
And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was
in my mind to build an house unto the name of the
Lord my God : but the word of the Lord came to me,
saying. Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast
made great wars : thou shalt not build an house unto
my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon
the earth in my sight. Behold, a son shall be born to
thee, who shall be a man of rest ; and I will give him
rest from all his enemies round about: for his name
shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness
unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for
my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his
father ; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom
over Israel for ever. Now, my son, the Lord be with
thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the
Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee. Only the Lord
give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee
charge concerning Israel, that thou may est keep the
law of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou prosper,
if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judg-
ments which the Lord charged Moses with concern-
ing Israel : be strong, and of good courage ; dread not,
nor be dismayed. Now, behold, in my trouble I have
prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thou-
[ 1242 ]
XXIII] I. CHRONICLES
sand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents
of silver ; and of brass and iron without weight ; for it
is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared ;
and thou mayest add thereto. Moreover there are
workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and work-
ers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning
men for every manner of work. Of the gold, the sil-
ver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number.
Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with
thee.
David also commanded all the princes of Israel to
help Solomon his son, saying, Is not the Lord your
God with you.^ and hath he not given you rest on
every side ? for he hath given the inhabitants of the
land into mine hand ; and the land is subdued before
the Lord, and before his people. Now set your heart
and your soul to seek the Lord your God ; arise there-
fore, and build ye the san6luary of the Lord God, to
bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the
holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built
to the name of the Lord.
So when David was old and full of days, he made
Solomon his son king over Israel.
And he gathered together all the princes of Israel,
with the priests and the Levites. Now the Levites
were numbered from the age of thirty years and up-
[ 1243 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxiii
ward: and their number by their polls, man by man,
was thirty and eight thousand. Of which, twenty and
four thousand were to set forward the work of the
house of the Lord ; and six thousand were officers and
judges: moreover four thousand were porters; and
four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments
which I made, said David, to praise therewith. And
David divided them into courses among the sons of
Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.The
sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham,
and Joel, three. The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and
Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the
fathers of Laadan. And the sons of Shimei were, Ja-
hath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were
the sons of Shimei. And Jahath was the chief, and Zi-
zah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many
sons ; therefore they were in one reckoning, accord-
ing to their father's house.
The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and
Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram ; Aaron and Moses :
and Aaron was separated, that he should san6lify the
most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn
incense before the Lord, to minister unto him, and
to bless in his name for ever. Now concerning Moses
the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of
[ 1J244 ]
XXIII] I. CPIRONICLES
Levi. The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Elie-
zer. Of the sons of Gershom , Shebuel was the chief.
And the sons of Ehezer were,Rehabiah the chief. And
Eliezer had none other sons ; but the sons of Reha-
biah were very many. Of the sons of Izhar ; Shelomith
the chief. Of the sons of Hebron ; Jeriah the first, Am-
ariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam
the fourth. Of the sons of Uzziel ; Micah the first, and
Jesiah the second.
The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons
of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish. And Eleazar died, and
had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the
sons of Kish took them. The sons of Mushi; Mahli,
and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
These were the sons of Levi after the house of their
fathers ; even the chief of the fathers, as they were
counted by number of names by their polls, that did
the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from
the age of twenty years and upward. For David said,
The Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his peo-
ple, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever: and
also unto the Levites ; they shall no more carry the
tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service there-
of. For by the last words of David the Levites were
numbered from twenty years old and above : because
their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the
[ 1245 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxiv
service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and in
the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things,
and the work of the service of the house of God ; both
for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat
offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that
which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried,
and for all manner of measure and size; and to stand
every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and like-
wise at even ; and to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the
Lord in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the
set feasts, by number, according to the order com-
manded unto them , continually before the Lord: and
that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of
the congregation, and the charge of the holy place,
and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren,
in the service of the house of the Lord.
Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron.
The sons of Aaron ; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and
Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their fa-
ther, and had no children : therefore Eleazar and Ith-
amar executed the priest's office. And David distri-
buted them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and
Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their
offices in their service. Andthere were more chief men
found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Itha-
mar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of
[ 1246 J
XXIV] I. CHRONICLES
Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of
their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar
according to the house of their fathers. Thus were
they divided by lot, one sort with another ; for the go-
vernors of the san6luary , and governors of the house
of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons
of Ithamar. And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the
scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king,
and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahime-
lech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the
fathers of the priests and Levites : one principal house-
hold being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ith-
amar.
Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the se-
cond to Jedaiah, the third to Harim, the fourth to Se-
orim, the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, tlie
seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, the ninth to
Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah, the eleventh to Eli-
ashib, the twelfth to Jakim, the thirteenth to Huppah,
the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, the fifteenth to Bilgah,
the sixteenth to Immer, the seventeenth to Hezir, the
eighteenth to Aphses, the nineteenth to Pethahiah,
the twentieth to Jehezekel, the one and twentieth to
Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul, the three
and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to
Maaziah. These were the orderings of them in their
[ 1247 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxv
service to come into the house of the Lord, according
to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the
Lord God of Israel had commanded him.
And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: of the
sons of Amram ; vShubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jeh-
deiah. Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah,
the first was Isshiah. Of the Izharites ; Shelomoth : of
the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath. And the sons of He-
bron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel
the third, Jekameam the fourth. Of the sonsof Uzziel;
Michah : of the sons of Michah ; Shamir. The brother
of Michah was Isshiah : of the sons of Isshiah ; Zecha-
riah. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi : the
sons of Jaaziah; Beno.The sons of Merari by Jaaziah;
Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. Of Mahli
came Eleazar,who had no sons. Concerning Kish :the
son of Kish was Jerahmeel. The sons also of Mushi ;
Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons
of the Levites after the house of their fathers. These
likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons
of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Za-
dok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of
the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers
over against their younger brethren.
Moreover David and the captains of the host se-
parated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of
[ 1248 ]
XXV] I. CHRONICLES
Hemaii, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with
harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the
number of the workmen according to their service
w^as: of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and
Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under
the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to
the order of the king. Of Jeduthun : the sons of Jedu-
thun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah,
and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father
Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks
and to praise the Lord. Of Heman : the sons of He-
man; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Je-
rimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and
Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and
Mahazioth: all these were the sons of Heman the
king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn.
And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three
daughters. All these were under the hands of their
father for song in the house of the Lord, vv^ith cym-
bals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house
of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jedu-
thun, and Heman. So the number of them, with their
brethren that were instru6led in the songs of the
Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred
fourscore and eight.
And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the
I [ 1249 ] ilK
I. CHRONICLES [xxv
small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. Now the
first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph : the second
to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were
twelve: the third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his bre-
thren, were twelve: the fourth to Izri, he, his sons,
and his brethren, were twelve: the fifth to Netha-
niah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: the
sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve: the seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and
his brethren, were twelve: the eighth to Jeshaiah, he,
his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: the ninth to
Mattaniah,he,his sons, and his brethren, were twelve :
the tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve: the eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons,
and his brethren, were twelve: the twelfth to Hasha-
biah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: the
thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve: the fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his
sons, and his brethren, were twelve: the fifteenth to
Jeremoth,he,his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
the sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his bre-
thren, were twelve: the seventeenth tojoshbekashah,
he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: the eigh-
teenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve: the nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and
his brethren, were twelve: the twentieth to Eliathah,
[ 1250 J
XXVI] I. CHRONICLES
he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: the one
and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his bre-
thren, were twelve: the two and twentieth to Gid-
dalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: the
three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and
his brethren, were twelve: the four and twentieth to
Romamti-ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve.
Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the
Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the
sons of Asaph. And the sons of Meshelemiah were,
Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah
the third, Jathniel the fourth, Elam the fifth, Jeho-
hanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. Moreover the
sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Je-
hozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the
fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth,
Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God
blessed him. Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons
born, that ruled throughout the house of their father:
for they were mighty men of valour. The sons of
Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad,
whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Sema-
chiah. All these of the sons of Obed-edom : they and
their sons and their brethren, able men for strength
for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-
[ 1251 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxvi
edom. And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren,
strong men, eighteen. Also Hosah, of the children
of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he
was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the
chief; ) Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zecha-
riah the fourth : all the sons and brethren of Hosah
were thirteen. Among these were the divisions of the
porters, even among the chief men, having wards
one against another, to minister in the house of the
Lord.
And they cast lots, as well the small as the great,
according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.
And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Ze-
chariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots ; and
his lot came out northward. To Obed-edom south-
ward ; and to his sons the houseof Asuppim.To Shup-
pim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the
gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up,
ward against ward. Eastward were six Levites, north-
ward four a day, southward four a day, and toward
Asuppim two and two. At Parbar westward, four at
the causeway, and two at Parbar. These are the di-
visions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and
among the sons of Merari.
And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures
of the house of God, and over the treasures of the
[ V252 ]
XXVI] I. CHRONICLES
dedicated things. As concerning the sons of Laadan;
the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even
of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli. The sons of Je-
hieli ; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over
the treasures of the house of the Lord. Of the Amram-
ites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uz-
zielites: and Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of
Moses, was ruler of the treasures. And his brethren
by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son,
and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelo-
mith his son. Which Shelomith and his brethren were
over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which
David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains
over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the
host, had dedicated. Out of the spoils won in battles
did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord.
And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul thesonof Kish,
and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Ze-
ruiah, had dedicated ; and whosoever had dedicated
any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of
his brethren.
Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were
for the outward business over Israel, for officers and
judges. And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his
brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hun-
dred, were officers among them of Israel on this side
[ 1253 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxvii
Jordan westward in all the business of the Lord, and
in the service of the king. Among the Hebronites was
Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, accord-
ing to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth
year of the reign of David they were sought for, and
there were found among them mighty men of valour
at Jazer of Gilead. And his brethren, men of valour,
were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers,
whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites,
the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,for every
matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.
Now the children of Israel after their number, to
wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and
hundreds, and their officers that served the king in
any matter of the courses, which came in and went
out month by month throughout all the months of the
year, of every course were twenty and four thou-
sand. Over the first course for the first month was
Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were
twenty and four thousand. Of the children of Perez
was the chief of all the captains of the host for the
first month. And over the course of the second month
was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth
also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and
four thousand. The third captain of the host for the
third month was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief
[ 1254 I
XXVII] I. CHRONICLES
priest: and in his course were twenty and four thou-
sand. This is that Benaiah, who was mighty among
the thirty, and above the thirty : and in his course was
Ammizabad his son. The fourth captain for the fourth
month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah
his son after him : and in his course were twenty and
four thousand. The fifth captain for the fifth month
was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were
twenty and four thousand. The sixth captain for the
sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite :
and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
The seventh captain for the seventh month was He-
lez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim : and in
his course were twenty and four thousand. The
eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the
Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were
twenty and four thousand. The ninth captain for the
ninth month was Abiezer the Anetothite, of the Ben-
jamites : and in his course were twenty and four thou-
sand. The tenth captain for the tenth month was Ma-
harai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in his
course were twenty and four thousand. The eleventh
captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pira-
thonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course
were twenty and four thousand. The twelfth captain
for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite,
[ 1255 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxvii
of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four
thousand.
Furthermore over the tribes of Israel : tlie ruler of
the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the
Simeonites,Shephatiah the sonof Maachah :of theLe-
vites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites,
Zadok : of Judah,Elihu, one of the brethren of David :
of Issachar,Omri the son of Michael : of Zebulun,Ish-
maiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the
son of Azriel: of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the
son of Azaziah: of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the
son of Pedaiah : of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gi-
lead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel
the son of Abner : of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham.
These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.
But David took not the number of them from twen-
ty years old and under: because the Lord had said
he would increase Israel like to the stars of the hea-
vens. Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but
he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against
Israel ; neither was the number put in the account of
the chronicles of king David.
And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the
son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in the fields, in
the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was
Jehonathan the son of Uzziah: and over them that
[ 1256 ]
XXVIII] I. CHRONICLES
did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was
Ezri the son of Chelub: and over the vineyards was
Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vine-
yards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite :
and over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that
were in the lovv plains was Baal-hanan the Gederite:
and over the cellars of oil was Joash : and over the
herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite:
and over the herds that were in the valleys was Sha-
phat the son of Adlai: over the camels also was Obil
the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the
Meronothite: and over the flocks was Jaziz the Ha-
gerite. All these were the rulers of the substance
which was king David's.
Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a
wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hach-
moni was with the king's sons: and Ahithophel was
the king's counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the
king's companion : and after Ahithophel was Jehoiada
the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of
the king's army was Joab.
And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the
princes of the tribes, and the captains of the compa-
nies that ministered to the king by course, and the cap-
tains over the thousands, and captains over the hun-
dreds, and the stewards over all the substance and
I [ 1257 ] 2r2
I. CHRONICLES [xxviii
possession of the king, and of his sons, with the offi-
cers, and with the mighty men, and with all the val-
iant men, unto Jerusalem. Then David the king stood
up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and
my people: As for m.e, I had in mine heart to build an
house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready
for the building: but God said unto me. Thou shalt
not build an house for my name, because thou hast
been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the
Lord God of Lsrael chose me before all the house of
my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath
chosen Judah to be the ruler ; and of the house of Ju-
dah, the house of my father; and among the sons of
my father he liked me to make me king over all Is-
rael : and of all my sons, ( for the Lord hath given me
many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit
upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Is-
rael. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall
build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him
to be my son, and I will be his father. Moreover I
will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant
to do my commandments and my judgments, as at
this day. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the
congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our
God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the
[ 1258 ]
XXVIII] I. CHRONICLES
Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land,
and leave it for an inheritance for your children after
you for ever. . .>'^^-^
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God
of thy father, and serve him with a perfe6l heart
and with a willing mind : for the Lord searcheth all
hearts, and under standeth all the imaginations of
the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of
thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for
ever. Take heed now ; for the Lord hath chosen thee
to build an house for the san6luary : be strong, and
do it.
Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern
of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the
treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers there-
of, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place
of the mercy seat, and the pattern of all that he had
by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord,
and of all the chambers round about, of the treasu-
ries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the
dedicated things : also for the courses of the priests
and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of
the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of ser-
vice in the house of the Lord. He gave of gold by
weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all
manner of service; silver also for all instruments of
[ 1^59 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxviii
silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind
of service: even the weight for the candlesticks of
gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every
candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the
candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candle-
stick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the
use of every candlestick. And by weight he gave gold
for the tables of shewbread,for every table ; and like-
wise silver for the tables of silver: also pure gold for
the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for
the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every
bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason
of silver: and for the altar of incense refined gold by
weight ; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the
cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered
the ark of the covenant of the Lord. All this, said
David, the Lord made me understand in writing by
his hand upon me, even all the works of this pat-
tern.
And David said to Solomon his son. Be strong
and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dis-
mayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with
thee ; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou
hast finished all the work for the service of the house
of the Lord. And, behold, the courses of the priests
and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all
[ 1^260 ]
XXIX] I. CHRONICLES
the service of the house of God : and there shall be
with thee for all manner of workmanship every will-
ing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the
princes and all the people will be wholly at thy com-
mandment.
Furthermore David the king said unto all the
congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God
hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work
is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the
Lord God. Now I have prepared with all my might
for the house of my God the gold for things to be
made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and
the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of
iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and
stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers co-
lours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble
stones in abundance. Moreover, because I have set
my afFe6lion to the house of my God, I have of mine
own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have
given to the house of my God, over and above all
that I have prepared for the holy house, even three
thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and
seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay
the walls of the houses withal : the gold for things of
gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all
manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers.
[ 1261 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxix
And who then is willing to consecrate his service this
day unto the Lord?
Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the
tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of
hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered
willingly, and gave for the service of the house of
God of gold five thousand talents and ten thou-
sand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and
of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred
thousand talents of iron. And they with whom pre-
cious stones were found gave them to the treasure
of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the
Gershonite.
Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered will-
ingly, because with perfe6l heart they offered will-
ingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced
with great joy. Wherefore David blessed the Lord
before all the congregation: and David said,
Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for
ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and
the power, and the glory, and the vi6lory, and the
majesty : for all that is in the heaven and in the earth
is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art
exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour
come of thee, and thou reignest over all ; and in thine
hand is power and might ; and in thine hand it is to
[ 1262 ]
XXIX] I. CHRONICLES
make great, and to give strength unto all. Now there-
fore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glori-
ous name. But who am I, and what is my people, that
we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort ?
for all things come of thee, and of thine own have
we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and
sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the
earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O
Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared
to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh
of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my
God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in
uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine
heart I have willingly offered all these things: and
now have I seen with joy thy people, which are pre-
sent here, to offer willingly unto thee. O Lord God
of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep
this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of
the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto
thee: and give unto Solomon my son a perfe6l heart,
to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy
statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the
palace, for the which I have made provision.
And David said to all the congregation, Now bless
the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed
the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their
[ iaG3 ]
I. CHRONICLES [xxix
heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king. And
they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered
burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the morrow after
that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams,
and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and
sacrifices in abundance for all Israel : and did eat and
drink before the Lord on that day with great glad-
ness. And they made Solomon the son of David king
the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to
be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest. Then
Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead
of David his father, and prospered ; and all Israel
obeyed him. And all the princes, and the mighty men,
and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted
themselves unto Solomon the king. And the Lord
magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Is-
rael, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as
had not been on any king before him in Israel.
Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Is-
rael. And the time that he reigned over Israel was
forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and
thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And
he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and
honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
Now the a6ls of David the king, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the
[ l^lG'l ]
XXIX] I. CHRONICLES
seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in
the book of Gad the seer, with all his reign and his
might, and the times that went over him, and over
Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
[ 1265 ]
e9!J!: ]
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES
A ND Solomon the son of David was strengthened
±\_ in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with
him, and magnified him exceedingly. Then Solomon
spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and
of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor
in all Israel, the chief of the fathers. So Solomon, and
all the congregation with him , went to the high place
that was at Gibeon ; for there was the tabernacle of
the congregation of God, which Moses the servant
of the Lord had made in the wilderness. But the ark
of God had David brought up from Kirjath-jearim
to the place which David had prepared for it : for he
had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem . Moreover the
brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of
Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the
Lord : and Solomon and the congregation sought un-
to it. And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar
before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of the
congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings
upon it.
In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and
said unto him. Ask what I shall give thee. And Solo-
mon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy
[ 1267 ]
II. CHRONICLES [i
unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in
his stead. Now, O Lord God, let thy promise unto
David my father be estabUshed: for thou hast made
me king over a people like the dust of the earth in
multitude. Give me now^ wisdom and knowledge, that
I may go out and come in before this people: for
who can judge this thy people, that is so great .^ And
God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart,
and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor
the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long
life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thy-
self, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom
I have made thee king: wisdom and knowledge is
granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and
wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have
had that have been before thee, neither shall there any
after thee have the like.
Then Solomon came from his journey to the high
place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem , from before
the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over
Israel. And Solomon gathered chariots and horse-
men: and he had a thousand and four hundred cha-
riots, and twelve thousand horsemen,which lie placed
in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as
plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the
[ 1^>()S J
II] II. CHRONICLES
sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance.
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and
linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen
yarn at a price. And they fetched up, and brought
forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels
of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty : and
so brought they out horses for all the kings of the
Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.
And Solomon determined to build an house for the
name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdom. And
Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men
to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in
the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to
oversee them. And Solomon sent to Huram the king
of Tyre, saying. As thou didst deal with David my
father, and didst send him cedars to build him an
house to dwell therein, even so deal with me. Be-
hold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my
God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him
sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and
for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the
sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn
feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance for
ever to Israel. And the house which I build is great:
for great is our God above all gods. But who is able
to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven
[ 1269 ]
II. CHRONICLES [ii
of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that
I should build him an house, save only to burn sacri-
fice before him ? Send me nov^ therefore a man cun-
ning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and
in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that
can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with
me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my fa-
ther did provide. Send me also cedar trees, fir trees,
and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that
thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon ; and,
behold, my servants shall be with thy servants, even
to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house
which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers
that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten
wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and
twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand
baths of oil.
Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writ-
ing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the Lord hath
loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
Huram said moreover. Blessed be the Lord God of
Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given
to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence
and understanding, that might build an house for the
Lord, and an house for his kingdom. And now I have
[ 1'210 J
Ill] II. CHRONICLES
sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of
Huram my father's, the son of a woman of the daugh-
ters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skil-
ful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron,
in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine
linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of
graving, and to find out every device which shall be
put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cun-
ning men of my lord David thy father. Now there-
fore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine,
which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his
servants: and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as
much as thou shalt need : and we will bring it to thee
in flotes by sea to Joppa ; and thou shalt carry it up to
Jerusalem.
And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were
in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith
David his father had numbered them ; and they were
found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thou-
sand and six hundred . And he set threescore and ten
thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and four-
score thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and
three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the
people a work^siSAb.: jn^i-jw
Then Solomon began to build the house of the
Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord
[ 1271 ]
11. CHRONICLES [rii
appeared unto David his father, in the place that Da-
vid had prepared in the threshingfloor of Oman the
Jebusite. And he began to build in the second day of
the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
Now these are the things wherein Solomon was
instru61ed for the building of the house of God. The
length by cubits after the first measure was three-
score cubits, and tlie breadth twenty cubits. And the
porch that was in the front of the house, the length
of it was according to the breadth of the house,
twenty cubits, and the height was an hundred and
twenty : and he overlaid it within with pure gold. And
the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he
overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees
and chains. And he garnished the house with precious
stones for beauty : and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and
the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold ;
and graved cherubim s on the walls. And he made the
most holy house, the length whereof was according
to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the
breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with
fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents. And the
weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he
overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
And in the most holy house he made two cheru-
[ \'21'2 ]
IV] II. CHRONICLES
bims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.
And the wings of the cherubim s were twenty cubits
long: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits,
reaching to the wall of the house : and the other wing
was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the
other cherub. And one wing of the other cherub was
five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the
other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing
of the other cherub. The wings of these cherubim s
spread themselves forth twenty cubits : and they stood
on their feet, and their faces were inward. And he
made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and
fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.
Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty
and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the
top of each of them was five cubits. And he made
chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads
of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates,
and put them on the chains. And he reared up the pil-
lars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the
other on the left; and called the name of that on the
right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left
Boaz.
Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cu-
bits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth
thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
[ 1273 ]
II. CHRONICLES [iv
Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim
to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height
thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round
about. And under it was the similitude of oxen, which
did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compass-
ing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast,
when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three
looking toward the north, and three looking toward
the west, and three looking toward the south, and
three looking toward the east: and the sea was set
above upon them , and all their hinder parts were in-
ward. And the thickness of it was an handbreadth,
and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup,
with flowers of lilies ; and it received and held three
thousand baths.
He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right
hand, and five on the left, to wash in them : suclithings
as they offered for the burnt offering they Vv^ashed in
them ; but the sea was for the priests to wash in. And
he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their
form, and set them in the temple, five on the right
hand, and five on the left. He made also ten tables,
and placed them in the temple, five on the right side,
and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons
of gold. Furthermore he made the court of the priests,
and the great court, and doors for the court, and over-
[ 127-1 ]
IV] II. CHRONICLES
laid the doors of them with brass. And he set the sea
on the right side of the east end, over against the
south.
And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and
the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was
to make for king Solomon for the house of God ; to
wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapi-
ters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the
two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapi-
ters which were on the top of the pillars ; and four
hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows
of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two
pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pil-
lars. He made also bases, and lavers made he upon
the bases ; one sea, and twelve oxen under it. The pots
also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all
their instruments, did Huram his father make to king
Solomon for the house of the Lord of bright brass.
In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the
clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah. Thus
Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance:
for the weight of the brass could not be found out. :
And Solomon made all the vessels that were for
the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables
whereon the shewbread was set ; moreover the can-
dlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after
[ 1275 ]
II. CHRONICLES [v
the manner before the oracle, of pure gold ; and the
flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of
gold, and that perfe6l gold ; and the snuffers, and the
basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold :
and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof
for the most holy place, and the doors of the house
of the temple, were of gold.
Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house
of the Lord was finished : and Solomon brought in all
the things that David his father had dedicated ; and
the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put
he among the treasures of the house of God.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and
all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of
the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the
ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of Da-
vid, which is Zion. Wherefore all the men of Israel
assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which
was in the seventh month. And all the elders of Is-
rael came ; and the Levites took up the ark. And they
brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the con-
gregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the
tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring
up. Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of
Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark,
sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told
[ 1276 ]
V] II. CHRONICLES
nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought
in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place,
to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place,
even under the wings of the cherubims: for the che-
rubims spread forth their wings over the place of the
ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves
thereof above. And they drew out the staves of the
ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the
ark before the oracle ; but they were not seen with-
out. And there it is unto this day. There was nothing
in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein
at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the
children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
And it came to pass, when the priests were come
out of the holy place : ( for all the priests that were
present were san61:ified, and did not then wait by
course: also the Levites which were the singers, all
of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their
sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen,
having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the
east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and
twenty priests sounding with trumpets : ) it came even
to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one,
to make one sound to be heard in praising and thank-
ing the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice
with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of
[ 1^77 ]
II. CHRONICLES [vi
musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good ;
for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house
was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord;
so that the priests could not stand to minister by rea-
son of the cloud : for the glory of the Lord had filled
the house of God. ■ •■ i = ^' "f- >^ i'-
Then said Solomon, The Lord hath said that he
would dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built
an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy
dwelling for ever. And the king turned his face, and
blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the
congregation of Israel stood. And he said, Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel, who hath with his hands ful-
filled that which he spake with his mouth to my fa-
ther David, saying. Since the day that I brought forth
my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city
among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in,
that my name might be there ; neither chose I any
man to be a ruler over my people Israel : but I have
chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there ; and
have chosen David to be over my people Israel. Now
it was in the heart of David my father to build an
house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. But
the Lord said to David my father. Forasmuch as it
was in thine heart to build an house for my name,
thou didst well in that it was in thine heart : notwith-
[ 1278 J
vri II. CHRONICLES
standing thou shalt not build the house; but thy son
which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build
the house for my name. The Lord therefore hath per-
formed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen
up in the room of David my father, and am set on
the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have
built the house for the name of the Lord God of Is-
rael. And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the cove-
nant of the Lord, that he made with the children of
Israel. '■'■
And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the
presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread
forth his hands: for Solomon had made a brasen scaf-
fold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and
three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the
court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon
his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and
spread forth his hands toward heaven, and said,
O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in
the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant,
and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk be-
fore thee with all their hearts : thou which hast kept
with thy servant David my father that which thou
hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and
hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. Now
therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy ser-
[ 1279 ]
11. CHRONICLES [vr
vant David my father that which thou hast promised
him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my
sight to sit upon the throne of Israel ; yet so that thy
children take heed to their way to walk in my law,
as thou hast walked before me. Now then, O Lord
God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou
hast spoken unto thy servant David. But will God in
very deed dwell with men on the earth .^ behold, hea-
ven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee ;
how much less this house which I have built! Have
respe6l therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to
his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the
cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before
thee: that thine eyes may be open upon this house
day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said
that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken
unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward
this place. Hearken therefore unto the supplications
of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they
shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy
dwelling place, even from heaven; and when. thou
hearest, forgive.
If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be
laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come
before thine altar in this house ; then hear thou from
heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting
[ 1280 J
,f^^t^
.JJ-~
-..■«3np^
d
VI] II. CHRONICLES
the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own
head ; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him
according to his righteousness.
And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before
the enemy, because they have sinned against thee;
and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and
make supplication before thee in this house ; then hear
thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy peo-
ple Israel, and bring them again unto the land which
thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain,
because they have sinned against thee ; yet if they
pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and
turn from their sin, when thou dost affli6l them ; then
hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy ser-
vants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught
them the good way, wherein they should walk ; and
send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto
thy people for an inheritance.
If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence,
if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpil-
lers ;if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their
land ; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there
be: then what prayer or what supplication soever
shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel,
when every one shall know his own sore and his own
I [ 1281 ] 2s
II. CHRONICLES [vi
grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:
then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and
forgive, and render unto every man according unto
all his ways, w^hose heart thou knowest; (for thou
only knowest the hearts of the children of men : ) that
ihfey rhay fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as
they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fa-
thers, 'i-i i»vi^;Oi uiiii^tiijv nyjii zi>m iiiu;i uuiii
Moreover concefriiiig the stranger, which is not of
thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for
thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and
thy stretched out arm ; if they come and pray in this
house ; then hear thou from the heavens, even from
thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the
stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the
earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy
{3eople Israel, and may know that this house which I
have built is called by thy name.
If thy people go out to war against their enenlies
by the way that thou shalt send them , and they pray
unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen,
arid the house vvhich I have built for thy name; then
hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their
supplication, and maintain their cause.
If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which
sinneth not,) and thou be angry with th^m, and de-
[ liiS'2 ]
VII] II. CHRONICLES
liver them over before their enemies, and they carry
them away captives unto a land far off or near ; yet
if they bethink themselves in the land whither they
are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in
the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned,
we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly ; if they
return to thee with all their heart and with all their
soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have
carried them captives, and pray toward their land,
which thcu gavest unto their fathers, and toward the
city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house
w^hich I have built for thy name: then hear thou
from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place,
their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their
cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned
against thee. '"f "^o i'.\m(Vin\f.ni
Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be
open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that
is made in this place. Now therefore arise, O Lord
God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy
strength : let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with
salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. O
Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed:
remember the mercies of David thy servant. ■
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying,
the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the
[ ^283 ]
II. CHRONICLES [vii
burnt offering and the sacrifices ; and the glory of the
Lord filled the house. And the priests could not enter
into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the
Lord had filled the Lord's house. And when all the
children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and
the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed
themselves with their faces to the ground upon the
pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, say-
ing. For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices
before the Lord. And king Solomon offered a sacri-
fice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hun-
dred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and
all the people dedicated the house of God. And the
priests waited on their offices : the Levites also with
instruments of musick of the Lord, which David the
king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy
endureth for ever, when David praised by their min-
istry ; and the priests sounded trumpets before them,
and all Israel stood. Moreover Solomon hallowed the
middle of the court that was before the house of the
Lord : for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat
of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which
Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt
offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.
Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven
[ 1'284> ]
VII] II. CHRONICLES
days, and all Israel with him, a very great congrega-
tion, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river
of Egypt. And in the eighth day they made a solemn
assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar
seven days, and the feast seven days. And on the
three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent
the people away into their tents, glad and merry in
heart for the goodness that the Lord had shewed un-
to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the
king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart
to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own
house, he prosperously efFe61:ed.
And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and
said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have
chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I com-
mand the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pes-
tilence among my people ; if my people, which are
called by my name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes
shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer
that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and
san6lified this house, that my name may be there for
[ 1285 ]
II. CHRONICLES [viii
ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there
perpetually. ... >>i
And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as Da-
vid thy father walked, and do according to all that I
have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes
and my judgments; then will I stablish the throne of
thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with
David thy father, saying. There shall not fail thee a
man to be* ruler in Israel, But if ye turn away, and
forsake my statutes and my commandments, which
I have set before you, and shall go and serve other
gods, and worship them; then will I pluck them up by
the roots out of my land which I have given them ;
and this house, which I have sanctified for my name,
will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a
proverb and a byword among all nations. And this
house, which is high, shall be an astonishmvsnt to ev-
ery one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why
hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto tliis
house.? And it shall be answered, Because they for-
sook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought
them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on
other gods, and worshipped them, and served them:
therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years,
wherein Solomon had built the house of the Lord,
[ 1286 ]
viii] IL CHRONICLES
and his own house, that the cities which Huram had
restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused
the children of Israel to dwell there. And Solomon
went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.
And he built Tadinor in the wilderness, and all the
store cities, which he built in Hamath. Also he built
Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether,
fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars ; and Baa-
lath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all
the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and
all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and
in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his do-
minion.
As for all the people that were left of the Hittites,
and the Amorites,and the Perizzites,and the Hivites,
and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel, but of
their children, who were left after them in the land,
whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did
Solomon make to pay tribute until this day. But of
the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants
for his work ; but they were men of war, and chief
of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horse-
men. And these were the chief of king Solomon's of-
ficers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over
the people.
And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh
[ 1287 ]
11. CHRONICLES [viii
out of the city of David unto the house that he had
built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in
the house of David king of Israel, because the places
are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come.
Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the
Lord on the altar of the Lord, which he had built be-
fore the porch, even after a certain rate every day, of-
fering according to the commandment of Moses, on
the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the so-
lemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast
of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in
the feast of tabernacles. And he appointed, according
to the order of David his father, the courses of the
priests to their service, and the Levites to theircharges,
to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of
every day required: the porters also by their courses
at every gate : for so had David the man of God com-
manded. And they departed not from the command-
ment of the king unto the priests and Levites concern-
ing any matter, or concerning the treasures. Now all
the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of
the foundation of the house of the Lord, and until it
was finished. So the house of the Lord was perfe6f ed.
Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth,
at the sea side in the land of Edom. And Huram sent
him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants
[ 1288 ]
IX] II. CHRONICLES
that had knowledge of the sea ; and they went with
the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence
four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought
them to king Solomon.
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of
Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard ques-
tions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and
camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and
precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon,
she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
And Solomon told her all her questions: and there
was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.
And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom
of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the
meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and
the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel ; his
cupbearers also, and their apparel ; and his ascent by
which he went up into the house of the Lord ; there
was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king,
It was a true report which I heard in mine own land
of thine a6ls, and of thy wisdom : howbeit I believed
not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen
it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy
wisdom was not told me : for thou exceedest the fame
that I heard. Happy are thy men, and happy are these
thy servants, which stand continually before thee,
I [ 1289 ] 2s2
II. CHRONICLES [ix
and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God,
which delighted in thee to set thee oil his throne, to
be king for the Lord thy God : because thy God loved
Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made hie
thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty
talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and
precious stones : neither was there any such spice as
the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon. And the ser-
vants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon,
which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees
and precious stones. And the king made of the algum
trees terraces to the house of the Lord, and to the
king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers:
and there were none such seen before in the land of
Judah. And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba
all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which
she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and
went away to her own land, she and her servants.
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in
one year was six hundred and threescore and six
talents of gold ; beside that which chapmen and mer-
chants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and go-
vernors of the country brought gold and silver to
Solomon. And king Solomon made two hundred tar-
gets of beaten gold : six hundred shekels of beaten
[ 1290 ]
IX] II. CHRONICLES
gold went to one target. And three hundred; shields
made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekeliSooli
gold went to one shield. And the king put them in th<q
house of the forest of Lebanon. Moreover the king
made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with
pure gold. And there were six steps to the throne,
with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the
throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place,
and two lions standing by the stays: and twelve lions
stood there on the one side and on the other upon the
sYx steps. There was not the like made in any king-
dom. And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon
were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the
forest of Lebanon were of pure gold : none were of
silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days
of Solomon. For the king's ships went to Tarshish
with the servants of Huram : every three years once
came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold,' and silver,
ivory, and apes, and peacocks.-; srnoj L-iiriHl ihi tyi^y^^
And king Solomon passed all thekihgs of the earth
ill' riches and wisdom. And all the kings of the earth
sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom,
that God had put in his heart. And they brought
every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels
of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and
mules, a rate year by year. And Solomon had four
[ 1291 ]
11. CHRONICLES [x
thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve
thousand horsemen ; whom he bestowed in the cha-
riot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. And he
reigned over all the kings from the river even unto
the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and
cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in
the low plains in abundance. And they brought unto
Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Solomon , first and last,
are they not written in the book of Nathan the pro-
phet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite,and
in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the
son of Nebat.f* And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem
over all Israel forty years. And Solomon slept with
his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his
father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
And Rehoboam went to Shechem : for to Shechem
were all Israel come to make him king. And it came
to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was
in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of
Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned
out of Egypt. And they sent and called him. So Je-
roboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam,
saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now
therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude
[ 1292 ]
X] 11. CHRONICLES
of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon
us, and we will serve thee. And he said unto them,
Come again unto me after three days. And the people
departed.
And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men
that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet
lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return an-
swer to this people.^ And they spake unto him, say-
ing, If thou be kind to this people, and please them,
and speak good words to them, they will be thy
servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel which
the old men gave him, and took counsel with the
young men that were brought up with him, that stood
before him. And he said unto them. What advice give
ye that we may return answer to this people, which
have spoken to me, saying. Ease somewhat the yoke
that thy father did put upon us.^^ And the young men
that were brought up with him spake unto him, say-
ing, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake
unto thee, saying. Thy father made our yoke heavy,
but make thou it somewhat lighter for us ; thus shalt
thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker
than my father's loins. For whereas my father put a
heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke:
my father chastised you with whips, but I will chas-
tise you with scorpions.
[ 1293 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xi
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam
on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again
to me on the third day. And the king answered them
roughly ; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of
the old men, and answered them after the advice of
the young men, saying, My father made your yoke
heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you
with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So
the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause
was of God, that the Lord might perform his ; word,
which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite
to. Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
And when all Israel saw that the king would not
hearken unto them, the people answered the king,
saying, What portion have we in David ? and we have
none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to
your tents, O Israel : and now, David, see to thine own
house. So all Israel went to their tents. But as for the
children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Re-
hoboam reigned over them. Then king Rehoboam
sent Hadoram that was over the tribute ; and the chil-
dren of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died.
But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to
his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. And Israel rebelled
against the house of David unto this day.
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he
[ 1294 J
m} II. CHRONICLES
gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an htm-
diedand fourscore thousand chosen men, which w^re
'warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring
the kingdom again to Rehoboam. But the word of the
IjOTcI came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying.
Speak unto Rehoboam the son^of Scllombn, king 6f
■Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, say-
ing ,>Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight
against your brethren : return every man to his house :
for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the
words of the Lord, and returned from going against
Jei^oboafffibsrft fttiiIj>dsM cmdAool cnsodori^H bzih
^'H^nd Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusaleni , and built cMfes
for defence in Judah. He built even Beth-lehem^ and
Etam , and' Tekoa, and Betli-zur , and Shocb, and Adiil-
iam, and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, and Ado-
raim, arid Lachish, and Azekah, and Zorah, anid Ai-
JaM^/Md Hebron, which are in Judah and in Ben-
jamin fenced cities. And he fortified the strong holds,
and put captains in them, and store of vi6lual, and of
oil and wine. And in every Several city he put shields
and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having
Judah and Benjamin on his side. And the priests and
the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out
of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs
and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusa-
[ 1295 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xi
lem : for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off' from
executing the priest's office unto the Lord: and he
ordained him priests for the high places, and for the
devils, and for the calves which he had made. And
after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set
their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to
Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fa-
thers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah,
and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three
years : for three years they walked in the way of Da-
vid and Solomon.
And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of
Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the
daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse ; which bare him
children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. And
after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom ;
which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and She-
lomith. And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter
of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines :
(for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concu-
bines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and three-
score daughters. ) And Rehoboam made Abijah the
son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his bre-
thren : for he thought to make him king. And he dealt
wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout
all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every
[ 1^96 ]
XII] II. CHRONICLES
fenced city : and he gave them vi6lual in abundance.
And he desired many wives.
And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had estab-
lished the kingdom, and had strengthened himself,
he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with
him. And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king
Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against
Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the
Lord, with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore
thousand horsemen: and the people were without
nmnber that came with him out of Egypt; the Lu-
bims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. And he took
the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came
to Jerusalem.
Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam,
and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered to-
gether to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto
them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and
therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king hum-
bled themselves ; and they said, The Lord is righteous.
And when the Lord saw that they humbled them-
selves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, say-
ing. They have humbled themselves ; therefore I will
not destroy them, but I will grant them some deli-
verance ; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon
[ 1297 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xii
Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. Nevertheless they
shall be his servants; that they- may know my ser-
vice, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusa-
lem, and took away the treasures of the house of the
Lord, and the treasures of the king's house ; he took
all: he carried away also the shields of gold which
Solomon had made. Instead of which king Rehoboam
made shields of brass, and committed them to the
hands of the chief of the guard , that kept the entrance
of the king's house. And when the king entered into
the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched
them, and brought them again into the guard cham-
ber. And when he humbled himself, the wrktll of thfe
Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him
altogether: and also in Jiidah things went welL^ ' ''^
, So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in J^gVii-
salem, and reigned : for Rehoboam was brie arid forty
years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
seventeen years in Jerusalem ,the city which the Lord
had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to piit his
name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an
Ammonitess. And he did evil, because he prepared
tibthis h^art to seek the Lord. Now the adfs of Reho-
boam, first and last, are they not written in the hddk
of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer con-
[ 1^98 ]
xiin II. CHRONICLES
cerning genealogies ? And there were wars between
Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. And Rehoboam
slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of
David : and Abijah his son reigned in his stead. ■ '*
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam fee-
gan Abijah to reign over Judah. He reigned three
years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Mi-
chaiahthe daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was
war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah set
the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war,
even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam
also S€li the battle in array against him with eight
hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of
valour. 'ovt)
And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which
is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jero-
boam, and all Israel: Ought ye not to know that the
Lord God of Israel gave the kingdorri over Israel to
David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a cove-
nant of salt.^ Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the ser-
vant of Solomon the son' of David, is risen up, aiid
hath rebelled against his lord. And there are gathered
unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have
strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son
of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-
hearted, and could not withstand them. And now ye
[ 1299 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xiii
think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the
hand of the sons of David ; and ye be a great multi-
tude, and there are with you golden calves, which Je-
roboam made you for gods. Have ye not cast out the
priests of the Lord,the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,
and have made you priests after the manner of the
nations of other lands ? so that whosoever cometh to
consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven
rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no
gods. But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have
not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto
the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait
upon their business: and they burn unto the Lord
every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and
sweet incense : the shewbread also set they in order
upon the pure table ; and the candlestick of gold with
the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep
the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken
him. And, behold, God himself is with us for our cap-
tain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry
alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not
against the Lord God of your fathers ; for ye shall not
prosper.
But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come
about behind them: so they were before Judah, and
the ambushment was behind them. And when Judah
[ 1300 ]
XIV] 11. CHRONICLES
looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind:
and they cried unto the Lord , and the priests sounded
with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a
shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to
pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before
Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled be-
fore Judah : and God delivered them into their hand.
And Abijah and his people slew them with a great
slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hun-
dred thousand chosen men. Thus the children of Is-
rael were brought under at that time, and the chil-
dren of Judah prevailed,because they relied upon the
Lord God of their fathers. And Abijah pursued after
Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the
towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof,
and Ephrain with the towns thereof. Neither did Jero-
boam recover strength again in the days of Abijah:
and the Lord struck him, and he died. But Abijah
waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and be-
gat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. And
the rest of the a6ts of Abijah, and his Vv^ays, and his
sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.
So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried
him in the city of David : and Asa his son reigned in
his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes
[ 1301 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xiv
dSrlMe Lord his-God: for he took away the altars of
tbejstrange gods, and the high places * and brake down
the images^ and cut down the, groves : and commanded
Jodah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to
do the law and the commandment. Also he took away
out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the
images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. And
he bpilt fenced cities in Judah : for the land had rest,
and he had mo war in those years ; because the Lord
had given liim rest. Therefore he said unto Judah,
Let us build these cities, and make about them walls,
and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet be-
fore us ; because we have sought the Lord our God,
we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on
every side. So they built and prospered.
And Asa had an army of men that bare targets
and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and
out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows,
two hundred and fourscore thousand : all these were
mighty men of valour. And there came out against
them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand
thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto
Mareshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they
set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at
Mareshah. And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and
said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether
[ 1J302 ]
XV] 11. CHRONICLES
with (many, or with them that have no power: help
us;0 Lx)rd our God ; for we rest on thee^ aad inrtJjjr
name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thoti art
our God ;let not man prevail against thee. So the Lord
smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah;
and thie Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that
were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the
Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not re-
cover themselves ; for they were destroyed before the
Lord, and before his host ; and they carried away very
much spoil. And they smote all the cities round about
Gerar ; for the fear of the Lord came upon them : and
they spoiled all the cities ; for there was exceeding
much spoil in them. They smote also the tents of cat-
tle, and carried away sheep and camelsjn abundaxim,
and returned to Jerusalem. --^t-r: •- «ft , r!- . -o/r^ih
And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son
of Oded : and he went out to meet Asa, and said unto
him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin:
The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if
ye seek him , he will be found of you ; but if ye for-
sake him , he will forsake you. Now for a long season
Israel hath been without the true God, and without a
teaching priest, and without law. But when they in thdr
trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and
sought him, he was found of them. And in those times
[ 1303 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xv
there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him
that came in, but great vexations were upon all the
inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed
of nation, and city of city : for God did vex them with
all adversity. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your
hands be weak : for your work shall be rewarded.
And when Asa heard these words, and the pro-
phecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put
away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah
and Benjamin , and out of the cities which he had taken
from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the
Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord. And he
gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers
with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of
Simeon : for they fell to him out of Israel in abun-
dance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with
him. So they gathered themselves together at Jeru-
salem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the
reign of Asa. And they offered unto the Lord the same
time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hun-
dred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And they en-
tered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their
fathers with all their heart and with all their soul ; that
whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel
should be put to death, whether small or great, whe-
ther man or woman. And they sware unto the Lord
[ 1^04. J
XVI] II. CHRONICLES
with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trum-
pets, and with cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at the
oath: for they had sworn wdth all their heart, and
sought him with their whole desire ; and he was found
of them : and the Lord gave them rest round about.
And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa
the king, he removed her from being queen, because
she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down
her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Ki-
dron. But the high places were not taken away out of
Israel : nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfe6l all
his days. And he brought into the house of God the
things that his father had dedicated, and that he him-
self had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. And
there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth
year of the reign of Asa.
In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Ba-
asha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built
Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out
or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa brought
out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house
of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-
hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
There is a league between me and thee, as there was
between my father and thy father : behold, I have sent
thee silver and gold ; go, break thy league with Ba-
[ 1305 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xvi
asha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. And
Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the
captains of his armies against the cities of Israel ; and
they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all
the store cities of Naphtali. And it came to pass, when
Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ram ah,
and: let his v/ork cease. Then Asa the king took all
Judah ; and they carried away the stones of Ramah,
and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was build-
ing ; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king
of Judah, and said unto him. Because thou hast relied
on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy
Godj.therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped
out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the
Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and
horsemen.^ yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord,
he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the
Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to
shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfe6f toward him. Herein thou hast done
foolishly : therefore from henceforth thou shalt have
wars. Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put
him in a prison house ; for he was in a rage with him
because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the
people the same time. . :r ,0^ ;ij:o^; dh/^ •ii)\'iw i>:.:r
[ im6 ]
XVII] II. CHRONICLES
And, behold, the a6ls of Asa, first and last, lo, they
are written in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel. And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his
reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was
exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not) to
the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with
his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of
his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchres,
which he had made for himself in the city of David,
and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet
odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the
apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burn-
ing for him. dh jioqu • is'i biod tJiij lo iei*i ^il i ufiA
And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, arid
strengthened himself against Israel, And he, placed
forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garii*i4
sons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim,
which Asa his father had taken. And the Lord was
with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways
of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim ; but
sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in
his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his
hand ; and all Judah broughtto Jehoshaphat presents ;
and he had riches and honour in abundance. And his
heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord : more-
[ 1307 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xvii
over he took away the high places and groves out
of Judah. Also in the third year of his reign he sent
to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and
to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to
teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent
Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zeba-
diah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan,
and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, Le-
vites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the
law of the Lord with them, and went about through-
out all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms
of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they
made no war against Jehoshaphat. Also some of the
Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute
silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven
thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thou-
sand and seven hundred he goats. And Jehoshaphat
waxed great exceedingly ; and he built in Judah cas-
tles, and cities of store. And he had much business in
the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men
of valour, were in Jerusalem.
And these are the numbers of them according to
the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of
thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty
[ 1308 J
XVIII] II. CHRONICLES
men of valour three hundred thousand. And next to
him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two
hundred and fourscore thousand. And next him was
Amasiah the son of Zichri, who wiUingly offered him-
self unto the Lord ; and with him two hundred thou-
sand mighty men of valour. And of Benjamin ; Eliada
a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men
with bow and shield two hundred thousand. And next
him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and
fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war. These
waited on the king, beside those whom the king put
in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abun-
dance, and joined affinity with Ahab. And after cer-
tain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And
Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance,
and for the people that he had with him, and per-
suaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead. And
Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of
Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead ? And
he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as
thy people ; and we will be with thee in the war. And
Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I
pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day. Therefore
the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four
hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ra-
[ 1309 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xviii
moth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they
said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's
hand. But Jehoshaphat said. Is there not here a pro-
phet of the Lordbesides,that we might enquire of him ?
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There
is yet one man , by whom we may enquire of the Lord :
but I hate him ; for he never prophesied good unto
me, but alvvays evil : the same is Micaiah the son of
Imla. And Jehoshaphat said. Let not the king say so.
And the king of Israel called for one of his officers,
and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of
Judahsat either of them on his throne, clothed in their
robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in
of the gate of Samaria ; and all the prophets prophe-
sied before them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah
had made him horns of iron, and said. Thus saith the
Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be
consumed. And all the prophets prophesied so, say-
ing, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the
Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And the
messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him,
saying. Behold, the words of the prophets declare
good to the king with one assent; let thy word there-
fore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou
good. And Micaiah said. As the Lord liveth, even
[ 1310 ]
xviii] II. CHRONICLES
what my God saith, that will I speak. And when he
was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah,
shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I for-
bear? And he said. Go ye up, and prosper, and they
shall be delivered into your hand. And the king said
to him. How many times shall I adjure thee that thou
say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the
Lord ? Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon
the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and
the Lord said. These have no master ; let them return
therefore every man to his house in peace. And the
king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee
that he would not prophesy good unto me, but eviil ?
Again he said. Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I
saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host
of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of
Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead.?
And one spake saying after this manner, and another
saying after that manner. Then there came out a
spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will en-
tice him. And the Lord said unto him. Wherewith.?
And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said. Thou
shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out,
and do even so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath
[ 1311 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xviii
put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets,
and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near,
and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which
way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto
thee? And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that
day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide
thyself. Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah,
and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city,
and to Joash the king's son; and say. Thus saith the
king. Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with
bread of affli6lion and with water of affli6lion, until I
return in peace. And Micaiah said, If thou certainly
return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me.
And he said. Hearken, all ye people.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. And the king of
Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself,
and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes.
So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went
to the battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded
the captains of the chariots that were with him, say-
ing, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with
the king of Israel. And it came to pass, when the cap-
tains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said.
It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed
[ 131^ ]
XIX] II. CHRONICLES
about him to fight: but Jchoshaphat cried out, and the
Lord helped him ; and God moved them to depart
from him. For it came to pass, that, when the captains
of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Is-
rael, they turned back again from pursuing him. And
a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote
the king of Israel between the joints of the harness :
therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand,
that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am
wounded. And the battle increased that day : howbeit
the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot
against the Syrians until the even : and about the time
of the sun going down he died.
And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his
house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of
Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to
king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly,
and love them that hate the Lord ^ therefore is wrath
upon thee from before the Lord. Nevertheless there
are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken
away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared
thine heart to seek God. And Jehoshaphat dwelt at
Jerusalem : and he went out again through the people
from Beer-sheba to mount Ephraim, and brought
them back unto the Lord God of their fathers. And
he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced
I [ 1313 J ^T
II. CHRONICLES [xx
cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges,
Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but
for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Where-
fore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you ; take
heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord
our God, nor respe6l of persons, nor taking of gifts.
Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the
Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the
fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and
for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.
And he charged them, saying. Thus shall ye do in
the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfe6l
heart. And what cause soever shall come to you of
your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood
and blood, between law and commandment, statutes
and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they
trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath come upon
you, and upon your brethren : this do, and ye shall not
trespass. And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over
you in all matters of the Lord ; and Zebadiah the son
of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the
king's matters: also the Levites shall be officers be-
fore you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be
with the good.
It came to pass after this also, that the children of
Moab, and the children of Annnon, and with them
[ 1314 J
XX] II. CHRONICLES
other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehosha-
phat to battle. Then there came some that told Je-
hoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude
against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria ;
and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-
gedi. And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek
the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help
of the Lord : even out of all the cities of Judah they
came to seek the Lord.
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah
and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the
new court, and said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not
thou God in heaven ? and rulest not thou over all the
kingdoms of the heathen ? and in thine hand is there
not power and might, so that none is able to withstand
thee? Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the
inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and
gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a san6lu-
ary therein for thy name, saying, If, when evil cometh
upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or
famine, we stand before this house, and in thy pre-
sence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto
thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab
[ 1315 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xx
and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel
invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but
they turned from them , and destroyed them not ; be-
hold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us
out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to
inherit.
O our God, wilt thou not judge them ? for we have
no might against this great company that com eth
against us ; neither know we what to do ; but our eyes
are upon thee.
And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their
little ones, their wives, and their children. Then upon
Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah,
the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the
sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the
midst of the congregation; and he said, Hearken ye,
all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou
king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you. Be
not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great mul-
titude ; for the battle is not yours, but God's. To mor-
row go ye down against them: behold, they come
up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the
end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye
shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves,
stand ye still, and see the salvatioii of the Lord with
you, O Judah and Jerusalem : fear not, nor be dis-
[ 1316 ]
XX] II. CHRONICLES
mayed; to morrow go out against them : for the Lord
will be witli you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head
with his face to the ground : and all Judah and the in-
habitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worship-
ping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the
Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood
up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice
on high.
And they rose early in the morning, and went
forth into the wilderness of Tekoa : and as they went
forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Ju-
dah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem : Believe in the
Lord your God, so shall ye be established ; believe his
prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had con-
sulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the
Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness,
as they went out before the army, and to say. Praise
the Lord ; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when
they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set am-
bushments against the children of Ammon, Moab,
and mount Seir, which were come against Judah ; and
they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and
Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir,
utterly to slay and destroy them : and when they had
made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one
helped to destroy another. And when Judah came
[ 1317 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xx
toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they
looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were
dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take
away the spoil of them, they found among them
in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and
precious jewels, which they stripped off' for them-
selves, more than they could carry away: and they
were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so
much. And on the fourth day they assembled them-
selves in the valley of Berachah; for there they
blessed the Lord: therefore the name of the same
place was called. The valley of Berachah, unto this
day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and
Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them,
to go again to Jerusalem with joy ; for the Lord had
made them to rejoice over their enemies. And they
came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and
trumpets unto the house of the Lord. And the fear of
God was on all the kingdoms of those countries,
when they had heard that the Lord fought against
the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat
was quiet : for his God gave him rest round about.
And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was
thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And
[ 1318 ]
XXI] II. CHRONICLES
his mother *s name was Azubah the daughter of
Shilhi. And he walked in the way of Asa his father,
and departed not from it, doing that which was right
in the sight of the Lord. Howbeit the high places
were not taken away : for as yet the people had not
prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Jehoshaphat, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son
of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings
of Israel.
And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join
himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very
wickedly : and he joined himself with him to make
ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in
Ezion-gaber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of
Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying,
Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the
Lord hath broken thy works. And the ships were
broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Je-
horam his son reigned in his stead. And he had bre-
thren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel,
and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and She-
phatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king
of Israel. And their father gave them great gifts
[ 1319 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxi
of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with
fenced cities in Judah : but the kingdom gave he to
Jehoram ; because he was the firstborn. Now when
Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father,
he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren
with the sword, and divers also of the princes of
Israel.
Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Je-
rusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of
Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had
the daughter of Ahab to wife : and he wrought that
which was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Howbeit the
Lord would not destroy the house of David, because
of the covenant that he had made with David, and as
he promised to give a light to him and to his sons
for ever.
In his days the Edomites revolted from under the
dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
Then Jehoram w^ent forth with his princes, and all
his chariots with him : and he rose up by night, and
smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and
the captains of the chariots. So the Edomites revolted
from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The
same time also did Libnah revolt from under his
hand; because he had forsaken the Lord God of his
XXI] II. CHRONICLES
fathers. Moreover he made high places in the moun-
tains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jeru-
salem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah
thereto.
And there came a writing to him from Elijah the
prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David
thy father. Because thou hast not walked in the ways
of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa
king of Judah, but hast walked in the way of the
kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the in-
habitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the
whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain
thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better
than thyself: behold, with a great plague will the
Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy
wives, and all thy goods: and thou shalt have great
sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels
fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.
Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the
spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that
were near the Ethiopians: and they came up into
Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the
substance that was found in the king's house, and his
sons also, and his wives ; so that there was never a
son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels
I [ 1321 J 2t!>
II. CHRONICLES [xxii
with an incurable disease. And it came to pass, that
in process of time, after the end of two years, his
bowels fell out by reason of his sickness : so he died
of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for
him, like the burning of his fathers. Thirty and two
years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem eight 3^ears, and departed with-
out being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the
city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah
his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of
men that came with the Arabians to the camp had
slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram
king of Judah reigned. Forty and two years old was
Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one
year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Atha-
liah the daughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways
of the house of Ahab : for his mother was his coun-
sellor to do wickedly. Wherefore lie did evil in tlie
sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they
were his counsellors after the death of his father to his
destruction. He walked also after their counsel, and
went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to
war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead:
and the Syrians smote Joram. And he returned to be
healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were
[ 13^2^2 ]
XXII] II. CHRONICLES
given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael
king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king
of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab
at Jezreel, because he was sick. And the destru6lion
of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram : for when
he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu
the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to
cut off the house of Ahab. And it came to pass, that,
when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house
of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons
of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Aha-
ziah, he slew them. And he sought Ahaziah: and they
caught him, ( for he was hid in Samaria, ) and brought
him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried
him : Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat,
who sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house
of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.
But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that
her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed
royal of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeath, the
daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah,
and stole him from among the king's sons that were
slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So
Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife
of Jehoiada the priest, ( for she was the sister of Aha-
ziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him
[ 1323 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxiii
not. And he was with them hid in the house of God six
years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened
himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah
the son of Jeroham , and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan,
and Azariah the son of Obed,and Maaseiah the son of
Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into cove-
nant with him. And they went about in Judah, and
gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and
the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to
Jerusalem. And all the congregation made a cove-
nant with the king in the house of God. And he said
unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the
Lord hath said of the sons of David. This is the thing
that ye shall do : A third part of you entering on the
sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be
porters of the doors ; and a third part shall be at the
king's house ; and a third part at the gate of the foun-
dation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the
house of the Lord. But let none come into the house
of the Lord, save the priests, and they that minister
of the Levites ; they shall go in, for they are holy:
but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord.
And the Levites shall compass the king round about,
every man with his weapons in his hand ; and whoso-
ever else Cometh into the house, he shall be put to
[ V6<M J
XXIII] II. CHRONICLES
death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in,
and when he goeth out.
So the Levites and all Judah did according to all
things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and
took every man his men that were to come in on the
sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sab-
bath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.
Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains
of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that
had been king David's, which were in the house of
God. And he set all the people, every man having his
weapon in his hand, from the right side of the tem-
ple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar
and the temple, by the king round about. Then they
brought out the king's son, and put upon him the
crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him
king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and
said, God save the king.
Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people
running and praising the king, she came to the peo-
ple into the house of the Lord: and she looked, and,
behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in,
and the princes and the trumpets by the king : and all
the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with
trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick,
and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent
[ 1325 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxiii
her clothes, and said, Treason, treason. Then Jehoi-
ada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds
that were set over the host, and said unto them , Have
her forth of the ranges : and whoso followeth her, let
him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay
her not in the house of the Lord. So they laid hands on
her; and when she was come to the entering of the
horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there.
And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and
between all the people, and between the king, that
they should be the Lord's people. Then all the people
went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and
brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew
Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. Also Je-
hoiada appointed the offices of the house of the Lord
by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David
had distributed in the house of the Lord, to offer the
burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law
of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was
ordained by David. And he set the porters at the
gates of the house of the Lord, that none which was
unclean in any thing should enter in. And he took the
captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the go-
vernors of the people, and all the people of the land,
and brought down the king from the house of the
Lord : and they came through the high gate into the
[ 13526 ]
XXIV] II. CHRONICLES
king's house, and set the king upon the throne of
the kingdom. And all the people of the land rejoiced:
and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Atha-
iiah with the sword.
JoASH was seven years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem . His mother's
name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. And Joash did
that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the
days of Jehoiada the priest. And Jehoiada took for
him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
And it came to pabS after this, that Joash was minded
to repair the house of the Lord. And he gathered to-
gether the priests and the Levites, and said to them.
Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all
Israel money to repair the house of your God from
year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. How-
beit the Levites hastened it not. And the king called
for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him. Why hast
thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Ju-
dah and out of Jerusalem the colle6f ion, according to
the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord,
and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle
of witness ? For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked wo-
man, had broken up the house of God ; and also all
the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they
bestow upon Baalim.
[ 1327 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxiv
And at the king's commandment they made a
chest, and set it without at the gate of" tlie house of
the Lord. And they made a proclamation through
Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the col-
letlion that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel
in the wilderness, x^nd all the princes and all the peo-
ple rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest,
until they had made an end. Now it came to pass,
that at what time the chest was brought unto the
king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when
they saw that there was much money, the king's
scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied
the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place
again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money
in abundance. And the king and Jehoiada gave it to
such as did the work of the service of the house of the
Lord, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the
house of the Lord, and also such as wrought iron and
brass to mend the house of the Lord. So the work-
men wrought, and the work was perfefted by them,
and they set the house of God in his state, and strength-
ened it. And when they had finished it, they brought
the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada,
whereof were made vessels for the house of the Lord,
even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and
spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they of-
[ 1328 ]
XXIV] II. CHRONICLES
fered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord con-
tinually all the days of Jehoiada.
But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when
he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he
when he died. And they buried him in the city of
David among the kings, because he had done good in
Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes
of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the
king hearkened unto them. And they left the house
of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves
and idols : and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem
for this their trespass. Yet he sent prophets to them,
to bring them again unto the Lord ; and they testified
against them: but they would not give ear. And the
Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada
the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto
them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the com-
mandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper.-^ be-
cause ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken
you. And they conspired against him, and stoned him
with stones at the commandment of the king in the
court of the house of the Lord. Thus Joash the king
remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his fa-
ther had done to him, but slew his son. And when he
died, he said. The Lord look upon it, and require it.
[ 1329 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxv
And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the
host of Syria came up against him : and they came to
Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of
the people from among the people, and sent all the
spoil of them unto the king of Damascus. For the army
of the Syrians came with a small company of men,
and the Lord delivered a very great host into their
hand,because they had forsaken the Lord God of their
fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
And when they were departed from him, (for they
left him in great diseases, ) his own servants conspired
against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the
priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they
buried him in the city of David, but they buried him
not in the sepulchres of the kings. And these are they
that conspired against him ; Zabad the son of Shimeath
an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith
a Moabitess. Now concerning his sons, and the great-
ness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing
of the house of God, behold, they are written in the
story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son
reigned in his stead.
Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years
in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan
of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the
[ \ii30 \
XXV] II. CHRONICLES
sight, of the Lord, but not with a perfe6l heart. Now it
came to pass, when the kingdom was established to
him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king
his father. But he slew not their children, but did as it
is w ritten in the law^ in the book of Moses, where the
Lord commanded, saying. The fathers shall not die
for the children, neither shall the children die for the
fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and
made them captains over thousands, and captains over
hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers,
throughout all Judah and Benjamin : and he numbered
them from twenty years old and above, and found
them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go
forth to war, that could handle spear and shield. He
hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour
out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver. But there
came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the
army of Israel go with thee ; for the Lord is not with
Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. But if
thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle : God shall
make thee fall before the enemy : for God hath power
to help, and to cast down. And Amaziah said to the
man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred
talents which I have given to the army of Israel.? And
the man of God answered. The Lord is able to give
[ 1331 ]
IL CHRONICLES [xxv
thee much more than this. Then Amaziah separated
them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of
Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger
was greatly kindled against Judah,and they returned
home in great anger. And Amaziah strengthened him-
self, and led forth his people, and went to the valley
of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
And other ten thousand left alive did the children of
Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the
top of the rock , and cast them down from the top of
the rock, that they all w^ere broken in pieces. But the
soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that
they should not go with him to battle, fell upon tlie
cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon,
and smote three thousand of them, and took much
spoil.
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come
from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought
the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be
his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and
burned incense unto them. Wherefore the anger of
the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent
unto him a prophet, which said unto him , Why hast
thou sought after the gods of the people, which could
not deliver their own people out of thine hand.^ And
it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king
[ 1332 ]
XXV] II. CHRONICLES
said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel i'
forbear; wh}^ shouldest thou be smitten? Then the
prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath de-
termined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this,
and hast not hearkened unto my counsel
Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent
to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of
Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.
And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Ju-
dah, saying. The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the
cedar that was in Lebanon, saying. Give thy daughter
to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast
that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle. Thou
sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites ; and thine
heart lifteth thee up to boast : abide now at home ; why
shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou should-
est fall, even thou, and Judah with thee ? But Amaziah
would not hear ; for it came of God, that he might de-
liver them into the hand of their enemies, because they
sought after the gods of Edom. So Joash the king of
Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face,
bothhe and Amaziahking of Judah, at Beth-shemesh,
which belongeth to Judah. And Judah was put to the
worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his
tent. And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king
ofJudah,thesonof Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-
[ 1333 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxvi
shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake
down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim
to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. And he took
all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that
were found in the house of God with Obed-edom,and
the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also,
and returned to Samaria.
And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived
after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Is-
rael fifteen years. Now the rest of the a6ls of Ama-
ziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the
book of the kings of Judah and Israel ? Now after the
time that Amaziah did turn away from following the
Lord they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusa-
lem ; and he fled to Lachish : but they sent to Lachish
after him, and slew him there. And they brought him
upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the
city of Judah.
Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah,who was
sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of
his father Amaziah. He built Eloth, and restored it to
Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. Six-
teen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign,
and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His
mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And
he did that which was right in the sight of the Ix)rd,
[ liiii4> ]
XXVI] II. CHRONICLES
according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he
sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had un-
derstanding in the visions of God: and as long as he
sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. And he
went forth and warred against the Philistines, and
brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh,
and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ash-
dod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him
against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that
dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims. And the Am-
monites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread
abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he
strengthened himself exceedingly. Moreover Uzziah
built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at
the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and
fortified them. Also he built towers in the desert, and
digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in
the low country, and in the plains : husbandmen also,
and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel : for
he loved husbandry. Moreover Uzziah had an host of
fighting men, that went out to war by bands, accord-
ing to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel
the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of
Hananiah, one of the king's captains. The whole num-
ber of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of va-
lour were two thousand and six hundred. And under
[ 1335 ]
II. CHRONICLES rxxvi
their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and
seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with
mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the
host shields, and spears, and helmets, and haberge-
ons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made
in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to
be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot ar-
rows and great stones withal. And his name spread
far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he
was strong.
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to
his destru6f ion : for he transgressed against the Lord
his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to
burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah
the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore
priests of the Lord, that were valiant men: and they
withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him. It ap-
pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense un-
to the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that
are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanc-
tuary ; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for
thine honour from the Lord God. Then Uzziah was
wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense:
and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy
even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the
[ 1336 J
XXVII] II. CHRONICLES
house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. And
Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked
upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his fore-
head, and they thrust him out from thence ; yea, him-
self hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smit-
ten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the
day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being
a leper ; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord :
and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judg-
ing the people of the land.
Now the rest of the a61:s of Uzziah, first and last,
did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. So
Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him
with his fathers in the field of the burial which be-
longed to the kings ; for they said. He is a leper: and
Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
JoTHAM was twenty and five years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Je-
rusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the
daughter of Zadok. And he did that which was right
in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father
Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple
of the Lord. And the people did yet corruptly. He
built the high gate of the house of the Lord, and on
the wall of Ophel he built much. Moreover he built
cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he
[ 1337 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxviii
built castles and towers. He fought also with the king
of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And
the children of Ammon gave him the same year an
hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures
of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the
children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second
year, and the third. So Jotham became mighty, be-
cause he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.
Now the rest of the a6fs of Jotham, and all his
wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book
of the kings of Israel and Judah. He was five and
twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem. And Jotham slept with
his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David:
and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to
reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem : but
he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lx)rd,
like David his father: for he walked in the ways of
the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for
Baalim. Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of
the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire,
after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord
had cast out before the children of Israel. He sacri-
ficed also and burnt incense in the high places, and
on the hills, and under every green tree. Wherefore
[ 1^38 ]
XXVIII] II. CHRONICLES
the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the
king of Syria ; and they smote him, and carried away
a great multitude of them captives, and brought them
to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand
of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great
slaughter. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in
Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day,
which were all valiant men ; because they had for-
saken the Lord God of their fathers. And Zichri, a
mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's
son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and El-
kanah that was next to the king. And the children
of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two
hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and
took also away much spoil from them , and brought the
spoil to Samaria.
But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name
was Oded : and he went out before the host that came
to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the
Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he
hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain
them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven. And now
ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and
Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you:
but are there not with you, even with you, sins against
the Lord your God } Now hear me therefore, and de-
[ 1339 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxviii
liver the captives again, which ye have taken captive
of your brethren : for the fierce wrath of the Lord is
upon you. Then certain of the heads of the children of
Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the
son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shal-
lum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against
them that came from the war, and said unto them. Ye
shall not bring in the captives hither : for whereas we
have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to
add more to our sins and to our trespass : for our tres-
pass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil be-
fore the princes and all the congregation. And the men
which were expressed by name rose up, and took the
captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked
among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and
gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and
carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought
them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their bre-
thren : then they returned to Samaria.
At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings
of Assyria to help him. For again the Edomites had
come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low
country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken
Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Sho-
[ 1340 ]
XXVIII] II. CHRONICLES
cho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the
villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof:
and they dwelt there. For the Lord brought Judah
low because of Ahaz king of Israel ; for he made Ju-
dah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord.
And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him,
and distressed him, but strengthened him not. For
Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the
Lord, and out of the house of the king, and of the
princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he
helped him not.
And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet
more against the Lord : this is that king Ahaz. For he
sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote
him: and he said. Because the gods of the kings of
Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them,
that they may help me. But they were the ruin of
him, and of all Israel. And Ahaz gathered together
the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the
vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of
the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in
every corner of Jerusalem. And in every several city
of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto
other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of
his fathers.
Now the rest of his a6ls and of all his ways, first
[ 1341 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxix
and last, behold, they are written in the book of the
kings of Judah and Israel. And Ahaz slept with his
fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jeru-
salem : but they brought him not into the sepulchres
of the kings of Israel : and Hezekiah his son reigned
in his stead.
Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and
twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty
years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abi-
jah,the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which
was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all
that David his father had done.
He in the first year of his reign, in the first month,
opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and re-
paired them. And he brought in the priestjf and the
Levites, and gathered them together into the east
street, and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanc-
tify now yourselves, and san6lify the house of the
Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthi-
ness out of the holy place. For our fathers have tres-
passed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the
LordourGod,and have forsaken him,and have turned
away their faces from the habitation of the Lord, and
turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors
of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not
burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy
[ 1342 ]
XXIX] II. CHRONICLES
place unto the God of Israel. Wherefore the wrath
of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he
hath delivered thern to trouble, to astonishment, and
to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. For, lo, our fa-
thers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our
daughters and our wives are in captivit}^ for this. Now
it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord
God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away
from us. My sons, be not now negligent: for the Lord
hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and
that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
Then theLevites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai,
and Joel the sonof Azariah,of the sons of theKohath-
ites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi,
and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: andof theGershon-
ites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of
Joah : and of the sons of Elizaphan ; Shimri, and Jeiel :
and of the sons of Asaph ; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:
and of the sons of Heman ; Jehiel, and Shimei : and of
the sons of Jeduthun ; Shemaiah,and Uzziel. And they
gathered their brethren, and san6lified themselves,
and came, according to the commandment of the king,
by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the
Lord. And the priests went into the inner part of the
house of the Lord 5 to cleanse it, and brought out all the
uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord
[ 1343 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxix
into the court of the house of the Lord. And the Levites
took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.
Now they began on the first day of the first month to
sanft ify , and on the eightli day of the month came
they to the porch of the Lord : so they san6f ified the
house of the Lord in eight days ; and in the sixteenth
day of the first month tliey made an end. Then they
went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have
cleansed all the house of the Lord, and the altar of
burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the
shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof. More-
over all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did
cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and
san6lified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the
Lord.
Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered
the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the
Lord. And they brought seven bullocks, and seven
rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin
offering for the kingdom, and for the san6luary, and
for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons
of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord, So
they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the
blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when
they had killed tlie rams, they sprinkled the blood
upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they
[ 1^44 ]
XXIX] II. CHRONICLES
sprinkled the blood upon the altar. And they brought
forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king
and the congregation ; and they laid their hands upon
them : and the priests killed them, and they made re-
conciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make
an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded
that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be
made for all Israel. And he set the Levites in the house
of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with
harps, according to the commandment of David ^ and
of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for
so was the commandment of the Lord by his pro-
phets. And the Levites stood with the instruments of
David, and the priests with the trumpets. And Heze-
kiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon
the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song
of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and with
the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers
sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this con-
tinued until the burnt offering was finished. And when
tliey had made an end of offering, the king and all
that were present with him bowed themselves, and
worshipped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the
princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto
the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the
I [ 1345 ] 2u
II. CHRONICLES [xxx
seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they
bowed their heads and worshipped. Then Hezekiah
answered and said, Now ye have consecrated your-
selves unto the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices
and thank offerings into the house of the Lord. And
the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank of-
ferings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt
offerings. And the number of the burnt ofterings,
which the congregation brought, was threescore and
ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred
lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the
Lord. And the consecrated things were six hundred
oxen and three thousand sheep. But the priests were
too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt of-
ferings : wherefore their brethren the Levites did help
them, till the work was ended, and until the other
priests had san6lified themselves : for the Levites were
more upright in heart to san61:ify themselves than
the priests. And also the burnt offerings were in abun-
dance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the
drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the ser-
vice of the house of the Lord was set in order. And
Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had
prepared the people : for the thing was done suddenly.
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and
wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh,that they
.[ 1346 ]
XXX] II. CHRONICLES
should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to
keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel. For the
king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in
the second month. For they could not keep it at that
time, because the priests had not san6lified themselves
sufficiently, neither had the people gathered them-
selves together to Jerusalem. And the thing pleased
the king and all the congregation. So they established
a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel,
from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come
to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at
Jerusalem : for they had not done it of a long time in
such sort as it was written. So the posts went with the
letters from the king and his princes throughout all
Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment
of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again
unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and
he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped
out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. And be not ye
like your fathers, and like your brethren, which tres-
passed against the Lord God of their fathers, who
therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. Now
be ye not stiffiiecked, as your fathers were, but yield
yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanc-
tuary, which he hath san6lified for ever: and serve
[ 1347 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxx
the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath
may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto
the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find
compassion before them that lead them captive, so
that they shall come again into this land : for the Lord
your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn
away his face from you, if ye return unto him. So the
posts passed from city to city through the country of
Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun : but they
laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Neverthe-
less divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun
humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. Also in
Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to
do the commandment of the king and of the princes,
by the word of the Lord.
And there assembled at Jerusalem much people
to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second
month, a very great congregation. And they arose
and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and
all the altars for incense took they away , and cast them
into the brook Kidron. Then they killed the passover
on the fourteenth day of the second month : and the
priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified
themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into
the house of the Lord. And they stood in their place
after their manner, according to the law of Moses the
[ I'-^-i^ ]
XXX] II. CHRONICLES
man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which
they received of the hand of the Levites. For there
were many in the congregation that were not san6li-
fied: therefore the Levites had the charge of the kill-
ing of the passovers for every one that was not clean,
to san6lify them unto the Lord. For a multitude of the
people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issa-
char, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet
did they eat the passover otherwise than it was writ-
ten. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good
Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to
seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he
be not cleansed according to the purification of the
san6luary . And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and
healed the people. And the children of Israel that were
present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened
bread seven days with great gladness : and the Levites
and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing
with loud instruments unto the Lord. And Hezekiah
spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught
the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat
throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offer-
ings, and making confession to the Lord God of their
fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep
other seven days : and they kept other seven days
with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah did give
[ 1349 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxxi
to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven
thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congre-
gation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep;
and a great number of priests san6lified themselves.
And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests
and the Levites, and all the congregation that came
out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the
land of Israel, and that dvs^elt in Judah, rejoiced. So
there Vv^as great joy in Jerusalem : for since the time
of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was
not the like in Jerusalem . Then the priests the Levites
arose and blessed the people: and their voice was
heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling
place, even unto heaven.
Now when all this was finished, all Israel thatvv^ere
present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake
the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and
threw down the high places and the altars out of all
Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh,
until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all
the children of Israel returned, every man to his pos-
session, into their own cities. And Hezekiah appointed
the courses of the priests and tlie Levites after their
courses, every man according to his service, the priests
and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offer-
ings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in
L 1^50 ]
XXXI] II. CHRONICLES
the gates of the tents of the Lord. He appointed also
the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offer-
ings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt of-
ferings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and
for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is writ-
ten in the law of the Lord. Moreover he commanded
the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion
of the priests and the Levites, that they might be en-
couraged in the law of the Lord. And as soon as the
commandment came abroad, the children of Israel
brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine,
and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field;
and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that
dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the
tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things
which were consecrated unto the Lord their God,
and laid them by heaps. In the third month they be-
gan to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished
them in the seventh month. And when Hezekiah and
the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the
Lord, and his people Israel. Then Hezekiah ques-
tioned with the priests and the Levites concerning
the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest of the house
of Zadok answered him, and said. Since the people
began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord,
[ 1351 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxxi
we have had enough to eat, and have left plent}' : for
the Lord hath blessed his people ; and that which is
left is this great store.
Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers
in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them,
and brought in the offerings and the tithes and the
dedicated things faithfully : over which Cononiah the
Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.
And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel,
and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah,
and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the
hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the com-
mandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the
ruler of the house of God. And Kore the son of Imnah
the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the
freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations
of the Lord, and the most holy things. And next him
were Eden, and Miniamin,and Jeshua,andShemaiah,
Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in
their set office, to give to their brethren by courses,
as well to the great as to the small: beside their ge-
nealogy of males, from three years old and upward,
even unto every one that entereth into the house of
the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their
charges according to their courses ; both to the gene-
alogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and
[ 1352 ]
XXXII] II. CHRONICLES
the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in
their charges by their courses ; and to the genealogy
of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and
their daughters, through all the congregation: for in
their set office they san6lified themselves in holi-
ness : also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were
in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every se-
veral city, the men that were expressed by name, to
give portions to all the males among the priests, and
to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the
Levites.
And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and
wrought that which was good and right and truth be-
fore the Lord his God. And in every work that he
began in the service of the house of God, and in the
law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he
did it with all his heart, and prospered.
After these things, and the establishment thereof,
Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into
Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and
thought to win them for himself. And when Hezekiah
saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was pur-
posed to fight against Jerusalem, he took counsel with
his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of
the fountains which were without the city : and they
did help him. So there was gathered much people to-
I [ 1353 ] 2u2
II. CHRONICLES [xxxii
gether, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook
that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why
should the kings of Assyria come, and find much
water? Also he strengthened himself, and built up all
the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the tow-
ers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in
the city of David, and made darts and shields in abun-
dance. And he set captains of war over the people, and
gathered them together to him in the street of the
gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, say-
ing. Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dis-
mayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multi-
tude that is with him : for there be more with us than
with him: with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is
the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles.
And the people rested themselves upon the words of
Hezekiah king of Judah.
After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send
his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege
against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto
Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were
at Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Sennacherib king of
Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the
siege in Jerusalem ? Doth not Hezekiah persuade you
to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst,
saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the
[ 1354 ]
XXXII] II. CHRONICLES
hand of the king of Assyria ? Hath not the same Heze-
kiah taken away his high places and his altars, and
commanded Jiidah and Jerusalem, saying. Ye shall
worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto
all the people of other lands ? were the gods of the
nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their
lands out of mine hand ? Who was there among all
the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly de-
stroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand,
that your God should be able to deliver you out of
mine hand ? Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive
you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet be-
lieve him : for no god of any nation or kingdom was
able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out
of the hand of my fathers : how much less shall your
God deliver you out of mine hand ? And his servants
spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his
servant Hezekiah. He wrote also letters to rail on the
Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying.
As the gods of the nations of other lands have not
delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not
the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine
hand. Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews'
speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the
wall, to affright them, and to trouble them ; that they
[ 1355 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxxii
might take the city. And they spake against the God
of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the
earth, which were the work of the hands of man.
And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the pro-
phet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to
heaven. And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all
the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and cap-
tains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he re-
turned with shame of face to his own land. And when
he was come into the house of his god, they that came
forth of his own bowels slew^ him there with the sword.
Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of
Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided
them on every side. And many brought gifts unto the
Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of
Judah : so that he was magnified in the sight of all
nations from thenceforth.
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and
prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and
he gave him a sign. But Hezekiah rendered not again
according to the benefit done unto him ; for his heart
was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him,
and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding
Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart,
both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the
[ 1356 ]
XXXII] II. CHRONICLES
wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of
Hezekiah.
And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and
honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and
for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and
for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;
storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and
oil ; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for
flocks. Moreover he provided him cities, and posses-
sions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had
given him substance very much. This same Hezekiah
also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and
brought it straight down to the west side of the city
of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the
princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of
the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to
try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
Now the rest of theafts of Hezekiah, and his good-
ness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah
the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the
kings of Judah and Israel. And Hezekiah slept with
his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the
sepulchres of the sons of David : and all Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death.
And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
[ 1357 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxxiii
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began
to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jeru-
salem : but did that which was evil in the sight of the
Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom
the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah
his father had broken down, and he reared up altars
for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the
host of heaven, and served them. Also he built altars
in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said. In
Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. And he built
altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of
the house of the Lord. And he caused his children to
pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hin-
nom : also he observed times, and used enchantments,
and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit,
and with wizards : he wrought much evil in the sight
of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. And he set a
carved image, the idol which he had made, in the
house of God, of which God had said to David and
to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem,
which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will
I put my name for ever: neither will I any more re-
move the foot of Israel from out of the land which I
have appointed for your fathers ; so that they will take
heed to do all that I have commanded them, accord-
[ 1358 ]
XXXIII] IL CHRONICLES
ing to the whole law and the statutes and the ordi-
nances by the hand of Moses. So Manasseh made
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and
to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had
destroyed before the children of Israel.
And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his peo-
ple: but they would not hearken. Wherefore the Lord
brought upon them the captains of the host of the king
of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns,
and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Baby-
lon. And when he was in affli61ion, he besought the
Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before
the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him : and he
was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and
brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
Now after this he built a wall without the city of Da-
vid, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to
the entering in at the iish gate, and compassed about
Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put
captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. And
he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of
the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had
built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in
Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. And he re-
paired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon
[ 1359 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxxiii
peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded
Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel, Nevertheless
the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet
unto the Lord their God only.
Nowthe restof thea61s of Manasseh,and his prayer
unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake
to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold,
they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him,
and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein
he built high places, and set up groves and graven im-
ages, before he was humbled: behold, they are writ-
ten among the sayings of the seers. So Manasseh slept
with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house :
and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
Anion was two and twenty years old when he be-
gan to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem,
But he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,
as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto
all the carved images which Manasseh his father had
made, and served them ; and humbled not himself be-
fore the Lord J as Manasseh his father had humbled
himself ; but Amon trespassed more and more. And
his servants conspired against him , and slew him in his
own house. But the people of the land slew all them
that had conspired against king Amon ; and the peo-
[ 1360 ]
XXXIV] II. CHRONICLES
pie of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
JosiAH was eight years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.
And he did that which w as right in the sight of the
Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father,
and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet
young, he began to seek after the God of David his
father : and in the twelfth year he began to purge
Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the
groves, and the carved images, and the molten im-
ages. And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his
presence; and the images, that were on high above
them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved
images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces,
and made dust of them , and strowed it upon the graves
of them that had sacrificed unto them . And he burnt
the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed
Judah and Jerusalem . And so did he in the cities of Ma-
nasseh,and Ephraim,and Simeon, even unto Naph-
tali, with their mattocks round about. And when he
had broken down the altars and the groves, and had
beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down
all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he re-
turned to Jerusalem.
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he
[ 1361 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxxiv
had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan
the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the
city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to re-
pair the house of the Lord his God. And when they
came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the
money that wsls brought into the house of God, which
the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the
hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the rem-
nant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and
they returned to Jerusalem. And they put it in the
hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the
house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen
that wrought in the house of the Lord, to repair and
amend the house: even to the artificers and builders
gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for coup-
lings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Ju-
dah had destroyed. And the men did the work faith-
fully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and
Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Ze-
chariah and Meshullam,of the sons of the Kohathites,
to set it forward ; and other of the Levites , all that could
skill of instruments of musick. Also they were over
the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that
wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the
Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
And when they brought out the money that was
[ 1^6^ ]
XXXIV] IL CHRONICLES
brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest
found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses,
And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe,
I have found the book of the law in the house of the
Lord. And Hilkiah delivered thebook to Shaphan, And
Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the
king word back again, saying. All that was committed
to thy servants, they do it. And they have gathered
together the money that was found in the house of the
Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the over-
seers, and to the hand of the workmen. Then Sha-
phan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest
hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the
king.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the
words of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king
commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan,
and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe,
and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go, en-
quire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in
Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book
that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is
poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept
the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in
this book. And Hilkiah, and they that the king had ap-
pointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of
[ 1363 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxxiv
Shallumthe sonof Tikvath,the son of Hasrah, keeper
of the wardrobe ; ( now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the
college : ) and they spake to her to that efFe6l. And she
answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel,
Tell ye the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the
Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and
upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that
are written in the book which they have read before
the king of Judah: because they have forsaken me,
and have burned incense unto other gods, that they
might provoke me to anger with all the works of their
hands ; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon
this place, and shall not be quenched. And as for the
king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord,
so shall ye say unto him. Thus saith the Lord God of
Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard :
Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst hum-
ble thyself before God, when thouheardest his words
against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof,
and humbledst thyself before rne, and didst rend thy
clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee
also, saith the Lord. Behold, I will gather thee to thy
fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in
peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I
will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants
of the same.
[ 1364 ]
XXXV] II. CHRONICLES
So they brought the king word again. Then the
king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah
and Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house
of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inha-
bitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites,
and all the people, great and small : and he read in
their ears all the words of the book of the covenant
that was found in the house of the Lord. And the king
stood in his place, and made a covenant before the
Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his com-
mandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with
all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the
words of the covenant which are written in this book.
And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and
Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jeru-
salem did according to the covenant of God, the God
of their fathers. And Josiah took away all the abo-
minations out of all the countries that pertained to the
children of Israel, and made all that were present in
Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And
all his days they departed not from following the
Lord, the God of their fathers.
Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the Lord in
Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the four-
teenth day of the first month. And he set the priests
in their charges, and encouraged them to the service
[ 1365 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxxv
of the house of the Lord, and said unto the Levites
that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the Lord,
Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son
of David king of Israel did build ; it shall not be a
burden upon your shoulders : serve now the Lord your
God, and his people Israel, and prepare yourselves
by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, ac-
cording to the writing of David king of Israel, and
according to the writing of Solomon his son . And stand
in the holy place according to the divisions of the fami-
lies of the fathers of your brethren the people, and
after the division of the families of the Levites. So kill
the passover, and san6lify yourselves, and prepare
your brethren, that they may do according to the word
of the Lord by the hand of Moses. And Josiah gave
to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the
passover offerings, for all that were present, to the
number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bul-
locks: these were of the king's substance. And his
princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests,
and to the Levites : Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel,
rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for
the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred
small cattle, and three hundred oxen. Conaniah also,
and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Ha-
shabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites,
[ 1366 ]
XXXV] II. CHRONICLES
gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thou-
sand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.
So the service was prepared, and the priests stood
in their place, and the Levites in their courses, accord-
ing to the king's commandment. And they killed the
passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from
their hands, and the Levites flayed them. And they re-
moved the burnt offerings, that they might give ac-
cording to the divisions of the families of the people,
to offer unto the Lord, as it is written in the book of
Moses. And so did they with the oxen. And they
roasted the passover with fire according to the ordi-
nance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots,
and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily
among all the people. And afterward they made ready
for themselves, and for the priests : because the priests
the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt of-
ferings and the fat until night ; therefore the Levites
prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons
of Aaron. And the singers the sons of Asaph were in
their place, according to the commandment of David,
and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer ;
and the porters waited at every gate ; they might not
depart from their service ; for their brethren the Le-
vites prepared for them. So all the service of the Lord
was prepared the same day, to keep the passover,
[ 1367 ]
IL CHRONICLES [xxxv
and to offer burnt oiferings upon the altar of the Lord,
according to the commandment of king Josiah. And
the children of Israel that were present kept the pass-
over at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread
seven days. And there was no passover like to that
kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet;
neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a pass-
over as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites,
and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the in-
habitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the
reign of Josiah was this passover kept.
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple,
Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Char-
chemish by Euphrates : and Josiah went out against
him. But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What
have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah ? I come not
against thee this day, but against the house where-
with I have war : for God commanded me to make
haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is
with me, that he destroy thee not. Nevertheless Jo-
siah would not turn his face from him, but disguised
himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened
not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God,
and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. And the
archers shot at king Josiah ; and the king said to his
servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.
[ 1368 ]
XXXVI] II. CHRONICLES
His servants therefore took him out of that chariot,
and put him in the second chariot that he had ; and
they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was
buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all
Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. And Jere-
miah lamented for Josiah : and all the singing men
and the singing women spake of Josiah in their la-
mentations to this day, and made them an ordinance
in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the la-
mentations.
Now the rest of the a6ls of Josiah, and his good-
ness, according to that which was written in the law of
the Lord, and his deeds, first and last, behold, they are
written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son
of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in
Jerusalem. Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned three months
in Jerusalem. And the king of Egypt put him down
at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred
talents of silver and a talent of gold. And the king
of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah
and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim.
And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried
him to Egypt.
Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he
[ 1369 ]
11. CHRONICLES [xxxvi
began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Je-
rusalem : and he did that which was evil in the sight
of the Lord his God. Against him came up Nebuchad-
nezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to
carry him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also carried
of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon,
and put them in his temple at Babylon. Now the rest
of the a6ls of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which
he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they
are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Ju-
dah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to
reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in
Jerusalem : and he did that which was evil in the sight
of the Lord. And when the year was expired, king
Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon,
with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and
made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Je-
rusalem.
Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he
began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusa-
lem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of
the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before
Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of tlie
Lord. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchad-
nezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he
[ 11570 ]
XXXVI] 11. CHRONICLES
stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turn-
ing unto the Lord God of Israel.
Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the peo-
ple, transgressed very much after all the abomina-
tions of the heathen; and polluted the house of the
Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the
Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his mes-
sengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he
had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling
place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and
despised his words, and misused his prophets, until
the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till
there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon
them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young
men with the sword in the house of their sandluary,
and had no compassion upon young man or maiden,
old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them
all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of
God, great and small, and the treasures of the house
of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his
princes; all these he brought to Babylon. And they
burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of
Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire,
and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And
them that had escaped from the sword carried he
away to Babylon ; where they were servants to him
[ 1371 ]
II. CHRONICLES [xxxvi
and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Per-
sia : to ftdfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of
Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for
as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to ful-
fil threescore and ten years.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that
the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jere-
miah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the
spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a procla-
mation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in
writing, saying. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All
the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven
given me ; and he hath charged me to build him an
house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there
among you of all his people ? The Lord his God be
with him, and let him go up.
[ 1^72 ]
EZRA
NOW in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia,
that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jere-
miah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit
of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writ-
ing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus kingof Persia,The Lord
God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the
earth ; and he hath charged me to build him an house
at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among
you of all his people? his God be with him, and let
him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build
the house of the Lord God of Israel, ( he is the God, )
which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in
any place where he sojourn eth, let the men of his
place help him with silver, and with gold, and with
goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering
for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and
Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites,with all
them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build
the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. And all
they that were about them strengthened their hands
with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with
beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was
[ 1373 ]
EZRA [II
willingly offered. Also Cyrus the king brought forth
the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebu-
chadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and
had put them in the house of his gods ; even those did
Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mith-
redath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Shesh-
bazzar, the prince of Judah. And this is the number
of them : thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers
of silver, nine and twenty knives, thirty basons of
gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and
ten, and other vessels a thousand. All the vessels of
gold and of silver were five thousand and four hun-
dred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them
of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon
unto Jerusalem.
Now these are the children of the province that
went up out of the captivity, of those which had been
carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came
again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his
city; which came with Zerubbabel:Jeshua,Nehemiah,
Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Big-
vai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the
people of Israel : the children of Parosh, two thousand
an hundred seventy and two. The children of She-
phatiah, three hundred seventy and two. The children
[ 1374 ]
II] EZRA
of Arab, seven hundred seventy and five. The chil-
dren of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and
Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. The
children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and
four. The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and
five. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and three-
score. The children of Bani, six hundred forty and
two. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and
three. The children of Azgad, a thousand two hun-
dred twenty and two. The children of Adonikam, six
hundred sixty and six. The children of Bigvai, two
thousand fifty and six . The children of Adin , four hun-
dred fifty and four. The children of Aterof Hezekiah,
ninety and eight. The children of Bezai, three hun-
dred twenty and three. The children of Jorah, an
hundred and twelve. The children of Hashum, two
hundred twenty and three. The children of Gibbar,
ninety and five. The children of Beth-lehem, an hun-
dred twenty and three. The men of Netophah, fifty
and six. The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty
and eight. The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Bee-
roth, seven hundred and forty and three. The chil-
dren of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and
one. The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and
two. The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty
[ 1375 ]
EZRA [II
and three. The children of Nebo, fifty and two. The
children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six. The
children of the other Elam , a thousand two hundred
fifty and four. The children of Harim, three hundred
and twenty. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono,
seven hundred twenty and five. The children cf Je-
richo, three hundred forty and five. The children of
Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house
of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. The chil-
dren of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. The children
of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel,
of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred
twenty and eight.
The children of the porters : the children of Shal-
lum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon,the
children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the chil-
dren of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.
The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children
of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, the children of
Keros, the children of Si aha, the children of Padon,
the children of Lebanah,the children of Hagabah,the
children of Akkub, the children of Hagab, the chil-
[ 1.'570- ]
II] EZRA
dren of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, the children
of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Re-
aiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
the children of Gazzam , the children of Uzza, the chil-
dren of Paseah, the children of Besai, the children of
Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Ne-
phusim , the children of Bakbuk , the children of Ha-
kupha,the children of Harhiir,the children of Bazluth,
the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, the
children of Barkos , the children of Sisera, the children
of Thamah, the children of Neziah, the children of
Hatipha.
The children of Solomon's servants: the children
of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of
Peruda, the children of Jaalah, the children of Dar-
kon, the children of Giddel, the children of Shepha-
tiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth
of Zebaim, the children of Ami. All the Nethinims,
and the children of Solomon's servants, w^ere three
hundred ninety and two. And these were they which
W'Cnt up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan,
and Immer: but they could not shew their father's
house, and their seed, w^hether they were of Israel:
the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the
children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
And of the children of the priests : the children of
I [ 1377 ] 2x
EZRA [II
Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzil-
lai ; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai
the Gileadite, and was called after their name : these
sought their register among those that were reck-
oned by genealogy, but they were not found: there-
fore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should
not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a
priest with Urim and with Thummim.
The whole congregation together was forty and
two thousand three hundred and threescore, beside
their servants and their maids, of whom there were
seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven : and
there were among them two hundred singing men
and singing women. Their horses were seven hun-
dred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty
and five; their camels, four hundred thirty and five;
their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
And some of the chief of the fathers, when they
came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem,
offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his
place : they gave after their ability unto the treasure
of the work threescore and one thousand drams of
gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hun-
dred priests' garments. So the priests, and the Levites,
and some of the people, and the singers, and the por-
[ 1378 ]
Ill] EZRA
ters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all
Israel in their cities.
And when the seventh month was come, and the
children of Israel were in the cities, the people gath-
ered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his bre-
thren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God
of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is writ-
ten in the law of Moses the man of God. And they set
the altar upon his bases ; for fear was upon them be-
cause of the people of those countries : and they offered
burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt of-
ferings morning and evening. They kept also the feast
of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily
burnt offerings by number, according to the custom,
as the duty of every day required ; and afterward of-
fered the continual burnt offering, both of the new
moons, and of all the set feasts of the Lord that were
consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered
a freewill offering unto the Lord. From the first day
of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offer-
ings unto the Lord. But the foundation of the temple
of the Lord was not yet laid. They gave money also
unto the masons, and to the carpenters ; and meat,
and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them
[ 1379 ]
EZRA [III
of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the
sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of
Cyrus king of Persia.
Now in the second year of their coming unto the
house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, be-
gan Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the
son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren
the priests and the Levites, and all they that were
come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and ap-
pointed the Levites, from twenty years old and up-
ward, to set forward the work of the house of the
Lord. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his bre-
thren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, to-
gether, to set forward the workmen in the house of
God : the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their
brethren the Levites. And when the builders laid the
foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the
priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Le-
vites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the
Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And
they sang together by course in praising and giving
thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his
mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the
people shouted with a great shout, when they praised
the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the
Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites
[ 1380 ]
IV] EZRA
and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that
had seen the first house, when the foundation of this
house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud
voice; and many shouted aloud for jo}^: so that the
people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy
from the noise of the weeping of the people : for the
people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was
heard afar off.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin
heard that the children of the captivity builded the
temple unto the Lord God of Israel; then they came
to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and
said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek
your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him
since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which
brought us up hither. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua,
and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said
unto them. Ye have nothing to do with us to build an
house unto our God ; but we ourselves together will
build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the
king of Persia hath commanded us. Then the people
of the land weakened the hands of the people of Ju-
dah, and troubled them in building, and hired coun-
sellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the
days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of
Darius king of Persia. And in the reign of Ahasuerus,
[ 1381 ]
EZRA [IV
in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an
accusation against the inliabitants of Judah and Jeru-
salem.
And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mi-
thredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions,
unto Artaxerxes king. of Persia; and the writing of
the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and in-
terpreted in the Syrian tongue. Rehum the chancellor
and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jeru-
salem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: tlien wrote
Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and
the rest of their companions; the Dinaites,the Aphar-
sathchites, tlie Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Arche-
vites , the Babylonian s , the Susan chites , the Dehavites ,
and the Elamites, and the rest of the nations whom
the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set
in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this
side the river, and at such a time.
This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him ,
even unto Artaxerxes the king :
Thy servants the men on this side the river, and
at such a time. Be it known unto the king, that the
Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto
Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city,
and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the
[ 1582 ]
IV] EZRA
foundations. Be it known now unto the king, that, if
this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then
will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou
shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. Now be--
cause we have maintenance from the king's palace,
and it was not meet for us to see the king's disho^
nour, therefore have we sent and certified the king ;
that search may be made in the book of the records
of thy fathers : so shalt thou find in the book of the
records, and know that this city is a rebellious city,
and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they
have moved sedition within the same of old time: for
which cause was this city destroyed. We certify the
king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls
thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no por-
tion on this side the river.
Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the
chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest
of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto
the rest beyond the river :
Peace, and at such a time. The letter which ye
sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. And
I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is
found that this city of old time hath made insurre6lion
against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have
[ 1383 ]
EZRA [V
been made therein. There have been mighty kings
also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all coun-
tries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom,
vvas paid unto them. Give ye now commandment to
cause these men to cease, and that this city be not
build ed, until another commandment shall be given
from me. Take heed now that ye fail not to do this:
why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings ?
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter
was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and
their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem
unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and
power. Then ceased the work of the house of God
which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second
year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Ze-
chariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that
were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God
of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel
the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak,
and began to build the house of God which is at Je-
rusalem : and with them were the prophets of God
helping them.
At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor
on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their
com])anions,and said thus unto them, Wlio hathcom-
[ l^^4 ]
V] EZRA
manded you to build this house, and to make up this
wall? Then said we unto them after this manner,
What are the names of the men that make this build-
ing ? But the eye of their God was upon the elders of
the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till
the matter came to Darius : and then they returned
answer by letter concerning this matter.
The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on
this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his com-
panions the Apharsachites, which were on this side
the river, sent unto Darius the king : they sent a let-
ter unto him , wherein was written thus :
Unto Darius the king, all peace. Be it known unto
the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to
the house of the great God , which is builded with great
stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work
goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. Then
asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who
commanded you to build this house, and to make up
these walls .^ We asked their names also, to certify
thee, that we might write the names of the men that
were the chief of them. And thus they returned us
answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of
heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded
these many years ago, which a great king of Israel
I [ 1385 ] 2x2
EZRA [VI
builded and set up. But after that our fathers had pro-
voked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them
into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Baby-
lon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and car-
ried the people away into Babylon. But in the first year
of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus
made a decree to build this house of God. And the ves-
sels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in
Jerusalem , and brought tliem into the temple of Baby-
lon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple
of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose
name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made gover-
nor ; and said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry
them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let
the house of God be builded in his place. Then came
the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the
house of God which is in Jerusalem : and since that
time even until now hath it been in building, and yet
it is not finished. Now therefore, if it seem good to
the king, let there be search made in the king's trea-
sure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be
so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build
this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send
his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
Then Darius the king made a decree, and search
[ 1386 ]
vj] EZRA
was made in the house of the rolls, where the trea-
sures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at
Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the
Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cy-
rus the king made a decree concerning the house of
God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place
where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations
thereof be strongly laid ; the height thereof threescore
cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; with
three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber:
and let the expences be given out of the king's house:
and also let the golden and silver vessels of the house
of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the
temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Baby-
lon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple
which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and
place them in the house of God.
Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river,
Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsa-
chites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from
thence: let the work of this house of God alone;
let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the
Jews build this house of God in his place. Moreover I
make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these
Jews for the building of this house of God : that of the
[ 1387 ]
EZRA [VI
king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river,
forthwith expences be given unto these men, that they
be not hindered. And that which they have need of,
both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the
burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine,
and oil, according to the appointment of the priests
which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by
day without fail : that they may offer sacrifices of sweet
savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life
of the king, and of his sons. Also I have made a de-
cree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber
be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let
him be hanged thereon ; and let his house be made a
dunghill for this. And the God that hath caused his
name to dwell there destroy all kings and people,
that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this
house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have
made a decree; let it be done with speed.
Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, She-
thar-boznai, and their companions, according to that
which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they pros-
pered through the proj)hesy ing of Haggai the prophet
and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and
finished it, according to the commandment of the God
of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cy-
[ 1388 ]
VI] EZRA
rus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. And
this house was finished on the third day of the month
Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Da-
rius the king.
And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Le-
vites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept
the dedication of this house of God with joy, and
offered at the dedication of this house of God an
hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred
lambs ; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he
goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Le-
vites in their courses, for the service of God, which
is at Jerusalem ; as it is written in the book of Moses.
And the children of the captivity kept the passover
upon the fourteenth day of the first month. For the
priests and the Levites were purified together, all of
them were pure, and killed the passover for all the
children of the captivity, and for their brethren the
priests, and for them selves. And the children of Israel,
which were come again out of captivity, and all such
as had separated themselves unto them, from the filthi-
ness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God
of Israel, did eat, and kept the feast of unleavened
bread seven days with joy : for the Lord had made
them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of As-
[ 1389 ]
EZRA [VII
Syria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work
of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes
king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of
Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the
son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah,
the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of
Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son
of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar,
the son of Aaron the chief priest : this Ezra went up
from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law
of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given :
and the king granted him all his request, according
to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. And there
went up some of the children of Israel, and of the
priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the por-
ters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the se-
venth year of Artaxerxes the king. And he came to
Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh
year of the king. For upon the first day of the first
month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the
first day of the fi.fth month came he to Jerusalem, ac-
cording to the good hand of his God upon him. For
Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the
Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and
judgments. jiiiii.
[ 1390 ]
VII] EZRA
Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Ar-
taxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even
a scribe of the words of the commandments of the
Lord, and of his statutes to Israel.
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a
scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfe6l peace,
and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of
the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in
my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to
go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Forasmuch as thou
art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to
enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according
to the law of thy God which is in thine hand ; and to
carry the silver and gold, which the king and his coun-
sellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel,
whose habitation is in Jerusalem, and all the silver
and gold that thou canst find in all the province of
Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and
of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their
God which is in Jerusalem: that thou mayest buy
speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with
their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and of-
fer them upon the altar of the house of your God which
is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall seem good to
thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the
[ 1391 ]
EZRA [VII
silver and the gold, that do after the will of your
God. The vessels also that are given thee for the ser-
vice of the house of thy God, those deliver thou be-
fore the God of Jerusalem. And whatsoever more
shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou
shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the
king's treasure house. And I, even I Artaxerxes the
king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are
beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the
scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require
of you, it be done speedily, unto an hundred talents
of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and
to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths
of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. What-
soever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be
diligently done for the house of the God of heaven:
for why should there be wrath against the realm of
the king and his sons ? Also we certify you, that touch-
ing any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters,
Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall
not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon
them. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God,
that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which
may judge all the people that are beyond the river,
all such as know the laws of thy God ; and teach ye
them that know them not. And whosoever will not
[ 1392 ]
VIII] EZRA
do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let
judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it
be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of
goods, or to imprisonment.
Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers , which hath
put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beau-
tify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem : and
hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his
counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes.
And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my
God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Is-
rael chief men to go up with me.
These are now the chief of their fathers, and this
is the genealogy of them that went up with me from
Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king. Of the
sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar;
Daniel: of the sons of David ; Hattush. Of the sons of
Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh ; Zechariah : and
with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an
hundred and fifty. Of the sons of Pahath-moab ; Eli-
hoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred
males. Of the sons of Shechaniah ; the son of Jahaziel,
and with him three hundred males. Of the sons also
of Adin ; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty
males. And of the sons of Elam ; Jeshaiah the son of
Athaliah, and with him seventy males. And of the sons
[ 1393 ]
EZRA [VIII
of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with
him fourscore males. Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah
the son of Jehiel,and with him two hundred and eigh-
teen males. And of the sons of Shelomith ; the son of
Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore
males. And of the sons of Bebai ; Zechariah the son of
Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. And of
the sons of Azgad ; Johanan the son of Hakkatan,and
with him an hundred and ten males. And of the last
sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet,
Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and
with them seventy males.
; And I gathered them together to the river that run-
neth to Ahava ; and there abode we in tents three days :
and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found
there none of the sons of Levi. Then sent I for Eliezer,
for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for
Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Ze-
chariah, and for Meshullam, chief men ; also for Joi-
arib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. And I
sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at
the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should
say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at
the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us mi-
nisters for the house of our God. And by the good hand
[ 1394 ]
VIII] EZRA
of our God upon us they brought us a man of under-
standing, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the
son of Israel ; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his bre-
thren, eighteen ; and Hashabiah, and with him Jesha-
iah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons,
twenty ; also of the Nethinims, whom David and the
princes had appointed for the service of the Levites,
two hundred and twenty Nethinims : all of them were
expressed by name.
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the riverof Aha-
va, that we might afili6l ourselves before our God, to
seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones,
and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to re-
quire of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to
help us against the enemy in the way : because we
had spoken unto the king, saying. The hand of our
God is upon all them for good that seek him ; but his
power and his wrath is against all them that forsake
him. So we fasted and besought our God for this : and
he was in treated of us.
Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests,
Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with
them, and weighed unto them the silver, and the gold,
and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our
God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his
lords, and all Israel there present, had offered : I even
[ 1395 ]
EZRA [VIII
weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents
of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and
of gold an hundred talents ; also twenty basons of gold,
of a thousand drams ; and two vessels of fine copper,
precious as gold. And I said unto them. Ye are holy
unto the Lord ; the vessels are holy also ; and the sil-
ver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the Lord
God of your fathers. Watch ye, and keep them, un-
til ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and
the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Je-
rusalem, in the chambers of tlie house of the Lord.
So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the
silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them
to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.
Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the
twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem :
and the hand of our God was upon us, and he deli-
vered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as
lay in wait by the way. And we came to Jerusalem,
and abode there three days. Now on the fourth day
was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed
in the house of our God by the liand of Meremoth the
son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar
the son of Phinehas ; and with them was Jozabad the
sonof Jeshua,andNoadiahthe son of Binnui, Levites;
by number and by weight of every one : and all the
[ l^i^^^ J
IX] EZRA
weight was written at that time. Also the children of
those that had been carried away, which were come
out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the
God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety
and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he
goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering
unto the Lord. And they delivered the king's com-
missions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the go-
vernors on this side the river: and they furthered the
people, and the house of God.
Now when these things were done,the princes came
to me, saying. The people of Israel, and the priests,
and the Levites, have not separated themselves from
the people of the lands, doing according to their abo-
minations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the
Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moab-
ites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have
taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their
sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves
with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the
princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment
and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head
and of my beard, and sat down astonied. Then were
assembled unto me ever}^ one that trembled at the
words of the God of Israel, because of the transgres-
[ 1397 ]
EZRA [IX
sion of those that had been carried away ; and I sat
astonied until the evening sacrifice. And at the even-
ing sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness ; and hav-
ing rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my
knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my
God, and said,
O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my
face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased
over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the
heavens. Since the days of our fathers have we been
in a great trespass unto this day ; and for our iniqui-
ties have we, our kings, and our priests, been deli-
vered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the
sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion
of face, as it is this day. And now for a little space
grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to
leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail
in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes,
and give us a little reviving in our bondage. For we
were bondmen ; yet our God hath not forsaken us in
our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the
sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to
set up the house of our God, and to repair the deso-
lations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in
Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what shall we say
after this ? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
[ 1^98 ]
X] EZRA
which thou hast commanded by thy servants the pro-
phets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess
it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the peo^
pie of the lands, with their abominations, which have
filled it from one end to another with their unclean-
ness. Now therefore give not your daughters unto
their sons, neither take their daughters unto your
sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever:
that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land,
and leave it for an inheritance to your children for
ever. And after all that is come upon us for our evil
deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our
God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve,
and hast given us such deliverance as this ; should we
again break thy commandments, and join in affinity
with the people of these abominations ? wouldest not
thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so
that there should be.no remnant nor escaping ? O Lord
God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet
escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee
in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee
because of this.
Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had
confessed, weeping and casting himself down before
the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Is-
rael a very great congregation of men and women
[ 1399 ]
EZRA [X
and children : for the people wept very sore. And She-
chaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam,
answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed
against our God, and have taken strange wives of
the people of the land : yet now there is hope in Is-
rael concerning this thing. Now therefore let us make
a covenant with our God to put away all the wives,
and such as are born of them, according to the coun-
sel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the com-
mandment of our God ; and let it be done according
to the law. Arise ; for this matter belongeth unto thee :
we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and
do it.
Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the
Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do
according to this word. And they sware. Then Ezra
rose up from before the house of God, and went into
the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib : and when
he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water:
for he mourned because of the transgression of them
that had been carried away. And they made proclama-
tion throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the chil-
dren of the captivity, that they should gather them-
selves together unto Jerusalem ; and that whosoever
would not come within three days, according to the
counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance
[ 1400 ]
X] EZRA
should be forfeited, and himself separated from the
congregation of those that had been carried away.
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered
themselves together unto Jerusalem within three
days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of
the month ; and all the people sat in the street of the
house of God, trembling because of this matter, and
for the great rain. And Ezra the priest stood up, and
said unto them. Ye have transgressed, and have taken
strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. Now
therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your
fathers, and do his pleasure : and separate yourselves
from the people of the land, and from the strange
wives. Then all the congregation answered and said
with a loud voice. As thou hast said, so must we do.
But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain,
and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a
work of one day or two: for we are many that have
transgressed in this thing. Let now our rulers of all
the congregation stand, and let all them which have
taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed
times, and with them the elders of every city, and the
judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for
this matter be turned from us.
Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the
son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and
[ 1401 ]
EZRA EX
Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the
priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house
of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were
separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth
month to examine the matter. And they made an end
with all the men that had taken strange wives by the
first day of the first month.
And among the sons of the priests there were found
that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of
Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren ; Maase-
iah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they
gave their hands that they would put away their wives ;
and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for
their trespass. And of the sons of Immer; Hanani,and
Zebadiah. And of the sons of Harim ; Maaseiah, and
Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And
of the sons of Pashur ; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael,
Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Ke-
laiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and
Eliezer.
Of the singers also ; Eliashib : and of the porters ;
Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
Moreover of Israel : of the sons of Parosh ; Ramiah,
and Jeziah,and Malchiah,and Miamin,and Eleazar,
[ 1402 ]
X] EZRA
and Malchijah,and Benaiah. And of the sons of Elam ;
Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi,andjere-
moth, and Eliah. And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai,
Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and
Aziza. Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hana-
niah,Zabbai,and Athlai. And of the sons of Bani ; Me-
shullam, Malluch,and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal,anLl
Ramoth. And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and
Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and
Binnui, and Manasseh. And of the sons of Harim;
Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Ben-
jamin, MaUuch, and Shemariah. Of the sons of Ha-
shum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jere-
mai, Manasseh, and Shimei. Of the sons of Bani;
Maadai, Amram, and Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chel-
kih, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Matte-
nai, and Jaasau, and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, and
Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, Machnadebai,
Shashai, Sharai, Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. Of the sons of Nebo;
Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel,
Benaiah.
All these had taken strange wives: and some of
them had wives by whom they had children.
[ 1403 J
THE BOOK OF
NEHEMIAH
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.
yi ND it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the
JX twentieth year, as I was in Shiishan the palace,
that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and cer-
tain men of Judah ; and I asked them concerning the
Jews that had escaped, which were left of the cap-
tivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto
me. The remnant that are left of the captivity there
in the province are in great affliftion and reproach :
the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the
gates thereof are burned with fire.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words,
that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days,
and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, and
said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great
and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for
them that love him and observe his commandments:
let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open,
that thou may est hear the prayer of thy servant, which
I pray before thee now, day and night, for the chil-
dren of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the
children of Israel, which we have sinned againstthee:
[ 1405 ]
NEHEMIAH [n
both I and my father's house have sinned. We have
dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept
the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judg-
ments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou com-
mandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress,
I will scatter you abroad among the nations : but if ye
turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do
them ; though there w^ere of you cast out unto the ut-
termost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from
thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have
chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy ser-
vants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by
thy great power, and by thy strong hand. O Lord,
I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the
prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy ser-
vants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I
pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy
in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cup-
bearer.
And it came to pass in the month Nisan,in the twen-
tieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before
him : and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king.
Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
V/herefore the king said unto me, Why is thy coun-
tenance sad, seeing thou art not sick.? this is nothing
[ 1406 ]
II] NEHEMIAH
else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
and said unto the king, Let the king live forever : why
should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the
place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the
gates thereof are consumed with fire? Then the king
said unto me. For what dost thou make request? So I
prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king,
If it please the king, and if thy servant have found
favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto
Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I
may build it. And the king said unto me, (the queen
also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey
be ? and when wilt thou return ? So it pleased the king
to send me ; and I set him a time. Moreover I said unto
the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to
the governors beyond the river,thatthey may convey
me over till I comeinto Judah; and a letter unto Asaph
the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me
timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which
appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city,
and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king
granted me, according to the good hand of my God
upon me.
Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and
gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent
captains of the army and horsemen with me. When
[ 1407 1
NEHEMIAH [ii
Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the
Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly
that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the
children of Israel.
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with
me ; neither told I any man what my God had put in
my heart to do at Jerusalem : neither was there any
beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And
I went out by night by the gate of the valley , even be-
fore the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed
the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and
the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I
went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's
pool: but there was no place for the beast that was
under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the
brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and en-
tered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. And
the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did ;
neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the
priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the
rest that did the work. Then said I unto them. Ye see
the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth w^aste,
and the gates thereof are burned with fire : come, and
let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no
more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my
[ 1408 ]
HI] NEHEMIAH
God which was good upon me ; as also the king's
words that he had spoken unto me. And they said.
Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their
hands for this good work. But when Sanballat the
Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and
Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to
scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing
that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then an-
swered I them, and said unto them, The God of hea-
ven, he will prosper us ; therefore we his servants will
arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right,
nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his bre-
thren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate;
they san6liiied it, and set up the doors of it ; even unto
the tower of Meah they san6lified it, unto the tower
of Hananeel. And next unto him builded the men of
Jericho. And next to thein builded Zaccur the son
of Imri. But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah
build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the
doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of
Urijah, the son of Koz, And next unto them repaired
Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshe-
zabeeL And next unto them repaired Zadok the son
of Baana. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired;
I [ 1409 ] 2y
NEHEMIAH [in
but their nobles put not their necks to the work of
their Lord. Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada
the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besode-
iah ; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors
thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeon-
ite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon,
and of Mizpah, unto the throne of the governor on
this side the river. Next unto him repaired Uzziel the
son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him
also repaired Hananiah the son of one of tlie apothe-
caries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad
wall. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son
of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. And
next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Haru-
maph, even over against his house. And next unto
him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah. Mal-
chijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pa-
hath-moab, repaired the other piece^ and the tower
of the furnaces. And next unto him repaired Shallum
the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Je-
rusalem, he and his daughters. The valley, gate re-
])aired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoali; they
built it, and set up the doors thereof, tlie locks there-
of, and the bars thereof, and a tliousand cubits on the
v/all unto the dung gate. But the dung gate repaired
[ 1410 ]
Ill] NEHEMIAH
Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-
haccerem ; he built it, and set up the doors thereof,
the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. But the <rate
of the fountain repaired Shallun the sonof Col-hozeh,
the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered
it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and
the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by
the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down,
from the city of David. After him repaired Nehemiali
the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Beth-
zur, unto tlie place over against the sepulchres of
David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the
house of the mighty. After him repaired the Levites,
Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Ha-
shabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his
part. After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son
of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. And
next to hhv. repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler
of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up
to the armoury at the turning of the wall. After him
Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other
piece, from the turning of the wall unto the door of
the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him re-
paired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz
another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib
even to the end of the house of Eliashib. And after
[ 1^11 ]
NEHEMIAH [m
him repaired the priests, the men of the plain. After
him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against tlieir
house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maase-
iah the son of Ananiah by his house. After him re-
paired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from
the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall,
even unto the corner. Palal the son of Uzai, over
against the turning of the wall, and the tower which
lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the
court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Pa-
rosh. Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto
the place over against the water gate toward the east,
and the tower that lieth out. After them the Tekoites
repaired another piece, over against the great tower
that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel. From above
the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over
against his house. After them repaired Zadok the son
of Immer over against his house. After him repaired
also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of
the east gate. After him repaired Hananiah the son of
Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, an-
other piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son
of Berechiah over against his chamber. After him re-
paired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place
of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against
the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner.
[ 1412 ]
IV] NEHEMIAH
And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep
gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that
we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great
indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake be-
fore his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said,
What do these feeble Jews ? will they fortify them-
selves.^ will they sacrifice.^ will they make an end in
a day ^ will they revive the stones out of the heaps of
the rubbish which are burned.^ Now Tobiah the Am-
monite was by him, and he said. Even that which they
build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their
stone wall. Hear, O our God ; for we are despised : and
turn their reproach upon their own head, and give
them for a prey in the land of captivity: and cover
not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out
from before thee: for they have provoked thee to
anger before the builders. So built we the wall; and
all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof:
for the people had a mind to work.
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and To-
biah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the
Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were
made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped,
then they were very wroth, and conspired all of them
together to come and to fight against Jerusalem , and
[ 1413 ]
NEHEMIAH [iv
to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto
our God, and set a watch against them day and night,
because of them. And Judah said, The strength of
the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much
rubbish ; so that we are not able to build the wall. And
our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither
see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay
them, and cause the work to cease. And it came to
pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came,
they said unto us ten times, From all places whence
ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. There-
fore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on
the higher places, I even set the people after their fa-
milies with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles,
and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not
ye afraid of them : remember the Lord, which is great
and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons,
and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it
was known unto us, and God had brought their coun-
sel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall,
every one unto his work. And it came to pass from
that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought
in the work, and the other half of them held both the
spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons ;
'[ 1414 ]
V] NEHEMIAH
and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
They which builded on the wall, and they that bare
burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of
his hands wrought in the work, and with the other
hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had
his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he
that sounded the trumpet was by me. And I said unto
the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the
people, The work is great and large, and we are
separated upon the wall, one far from another. In
what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trum-
pet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight
for us.
So we laboured in the work : and half of them held
the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars
appeared. Likewise at the same time said I unto the
people. Let every one with his servant lodge within
Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to
us, and labour on the day. So neither I, nor my bre-
thren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard
which followed me, none of us put off our clothes,
saving that every one put them off for washing.
And there was a great cry of the people and of their
wives against their brethren the Jews. For there were
that said. We, our sons, and our daughters, are many:
therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat,
[ 1415 ]
NEHEMIAH [v
and live. Some also there were that said, We have
mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we
might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were
also that said ,We have borrowed money for the king's
tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet
now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our chil-
dren as their children : and, lo, we bring into bondage
our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some
of our daughters are brought unto bondage already:
neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other
men have our lands and vineyards.
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and
these words. Then I consulted with myself, and I re-
buked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them,
Ye exa6l usury, every one of his brother. And I set
a great assembly against them. And I said unto them,
We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the
Jews, which were sold unto the heathen ; and will ye
even sell your brethren ? or shall they be sold unto
us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing
to answer. Also I said, It is not good that ye do : ought
ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the
reproach of the heathen our enemies.? I likewise, and
my brethren, and my servants, might exaft of them
money and corn : I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
Restore, I pray you, to them , ev(Mi this day , their lands,
V] NEHEMIAPI
their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also
the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the
wine, and the oil, that ye exaft of them. Then said
they, We will restore them, and will require nothing
of them ; so will we do as thou say est. Then I called
the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should
do according to this promise. Also I shook my lap, and
said, So God shake out every man from his house,
and from his labour, that performeth not this promise,
even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the
congregation said. Amen, and praised the Lord. And
the people did according to this promise.
Moreover from_ the time that I was appointed to be
their governor in the land of Judah, from the twen-
tieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Arta-
xerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my bre-
thren have not eaten the bread of the governor. But
the former governors that had been before m.e were
chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them
bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea,
even their servants bare rule over the people : but so
did not I, because of the fear of God. Yea, also I con-
tinued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any
land : and all my servants were gathered thither un-
to the work. Moreover there were at my table an
hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those
I [ 1417 ] ^y2
NEHEMIAH [vi
that came unto us from among the heathen that are
about us. Now that which was prepared for me daily
was one ox and six choice sheep ; also fowls were pre-
pared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts
of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of
the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon
this people. Think upon me, my God, for good, ac-
cording to all that I have done for this people.
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah,
and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our ene-
mies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there
was no breach left therein ; ( though at that time I had
not set up the doors upon the gates ; ) that Sanballat
and Geshem sent unto me, saying. Come, let us meet
together in some one of the villages in the plain of
Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent
messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great
work, so that I cannot come down: why should the
work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you.f^
Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and
I answered them after the same manner. Then sent
Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth
time with an open letter in his hand ; wherein was writ-
ten, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu
saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel : for which
cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their
L 141« ]
,vi] NEHEMIAH
king, according to these words. And thou hast also
appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem,
saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be
reported to the king according to these words. Come
now therefore, and let us take counsel together. Then
I sent unto him , saying. There are no such things done
as thou say est, but thou feignest them out of thine own
heart. For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands
shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done.
Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the
son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut
up; and he said. Let us meet together in the house
of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors
of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea,
in the night will they come to slay thee. And I said,
Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that,
being as I am, would go into the temple to save his
life.? I will not go in. And, lo, I perceived that God
had not sent him ; but that he pronounced this pro-
phecy against me : for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired
him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid,
and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter
for an evil report, that they might reproach me. My
God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat accord-
ing to these their works, and on the prophetess Noa-
[ 1419 ]
NEHEMIAH [vii
diah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have
put me in fear.
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day
of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came
to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and
all the heathen that were about us saw these things,
they were much cast down in their own eyes : for they
perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent
many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah
came unto them . For there were many in Judah sworn
unto him, because he was the son in law of Shecha-
niah the son of Arab; and his son Johanan had taken
the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
Also they reported his good deeds before me, and
uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to
put me in fear.
Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I
had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers
and the Levites were appointed , that I gave my brother
Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge
over Jerusalem : for he was a faithful man, and feared
God above many. And I said unto them. Let not the
gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot;
and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and
bar them : and appoint watches of the inhabitants of
[ 1420 ]
VII] NEHEMIAH
Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to
be over against his house. Now the city was large and
great : but the people were few therein, and the houses
were not builded.
And my God put into mine heart to gather together
the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they
might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a re-
gister of the genealogy of them which came up at the
first, and found written therein.
These are the children of the province, that went
up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried
away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon
had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to
Judah, everyone unto his city ; who came with Zerub-
babel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Naha-
mani, Mordecai, Bilshan,Mispereth,Bigvai, Nehum,
Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people
of Israel was this :
The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred
seventy and two. The children of Shephatiah, three
hundred seventy and two. The children of Arab, six
hundred fifty and two. The children of Pahath-moab,
of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and
eight hundred and eighteen. The children of Elam, a
thousand two hundred fifty and four. The children of
Zattu, eight hundred forty and five. The children of
.[ 1421 ]
NEHEMIAH [vii
Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. The children
of Binniii, six hundred forty and eight. The children of
Bebai, six hundred tv/enty and eight. The children of
Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore
and seven. The children of Bigvai, two thousand three-
score and seven. The children of Adin, six hundred
fifty and five. The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety
and eight. The children of Hashum, three hundred
twenty and eight. The children of Bezai, three hun-
dred twenty and four. The children of Hariph, an
hundred and twelve. The children of Gibeon, ninety
and five. The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, an
hundred fourscore and eight.Themen of Anathoth,an
hundred twenty and eight. The men of Beth-azma-
veth, forty and two. The men of Kirjath-jearim, Che-
phirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.
The men of Ram ah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and
one. The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty
and two. The men of Beth-el and Ai, an hundred
twenty and three. The men of the other Nebo, fifty
and two. The children of the other Elam, a thousand
two hundred fifty and four. The children of Harim,
three hundred alid twenty. The children of Jericho,
three hundred forty and five. The children of Lod,
Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one. The
[ 1V2'2 ]
VII] NEHEMIAH
children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and
thirty. ^ '
The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house
of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. The chil-
dren of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. The children
of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel^
and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.
The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred
forty and eight.
The porters: the children of Shall urn, the children
of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Ak-
kub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an
hundred thirty and eight.
The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children
of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth, the children
of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the
children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, the chil-
dren of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children
of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Ne-
koda, the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza,
the children of Phaseah, the children of Besai, the
children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,
the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the
[ I42y j
NEHEMIAH [vii
children of Harhur, the children of Bazlith, the chil-
dren of Mehida, the children of Harsha,the children
of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Ta-
mah, the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
The children of Solomon's servants: the children
of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of
Perida, the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon,
the children of Giddel,the children of Shephatiah,the
children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Ze-
baim,the children of Anion. All the Nethinims, and
the children of Solomon's servants, were three hun-
dred ninety and two.
And these were they which went up also from Tel-
melah,Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but
they could not shew their father's house, nor their
seed, whether they were of Israel. The children of
Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Ne-
koda, six hundred forty and two.
And of the priests : the children of Habaiah, the
children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took
one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife,
and was called after their name. These sought their
register among those that were reckoned by gene-
alogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as
polluted, put from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha
said unto them, that they should not eat of the most
[ 1424 ]
VII] NEHEMIAH
holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and
Thummim.
The whole congregation together was forty and
two thousand three hundred and threescore, beside
their manservants and their maidservants, of whom
there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and
seven : and they had two hundred forty and five sing-
ingmen and singing women.Their horses, seven hun-
dred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty
and five: their camels, four hundred thirty and five:
six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.
And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the
work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand
drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty
priests' garments. And some of the chief of the fa-
thers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thou-
sand dram s of gold , and two thousand and two hundred
pound of silver. And that which the rest of the people
gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two
thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven
priests' garments.
So the priests, and the Levites,and the porters, and
the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethi-
nims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when
the seventh month came, the children of Israel were
in their cities.
[ 1425 ]
NEHEMIAH [viii
And all the people gathered themselves together
as one man into the street that was before the water
gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring
the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had
commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought
the law before the congregation both of men and
women, and all that could hear with understanding,
upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read
therein before the street that was before the water
gate from the m.orning until midday, before the men
and the women, and those that could understand;
and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the
book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a
pulpit of wood, which they had made for the pur-
pose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema,
and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah,
on his right hand ; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and
Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashba-
dana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened
the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was
above all the people ; ) and when he opened it, all the
people stood up: and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great
God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with
lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and
worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Also Jeshua, and Bani,and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub,
[ 1426 J
VIII] NEHEMIAH
Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jo-
zabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the
people to understand the law : and the people stood in
their place. So they read in the book in the law of
God distin6lly, and gave the sense, and caused them
to understand the reading.
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra
the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the
people, said unto all the people. This day is holy unto
the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all
the people wept, when they heard the words of the
law. Then he said unto them. Go your way, eat the
fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them
for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy
unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry ; for the joy of the
Lord is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the
people, saying. Hold your peace, for the day is holy;
neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their
way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to
make great mirth, because they had understood the
words that were declared unto them.
And on the second day were gathered together
the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests,
and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to under-
stand the words of the law. And they found written
in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses,
[ 1J<27 ]
NEHEMIAH [ix
that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in
the feast of the seventh month : and that they should
publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusa-
lem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive
branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and
palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make
booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and
brought them, and made themselves booths, every
one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts,
and in the courts of the house of God, and in the
street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate
of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them^ that
were come again out of the captivity made booths,
and sat under the booths : for since the days of Jeshua
the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of
Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day,
he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept
the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a
solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the
children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and
with sack clothes, and earth upon them. And the seed
of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and
stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of
their fathers. And they stood up in their place, and
[ 1428 ]
IX] NEHEMIAH
read in the book of the law of the Lord their God
one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part
they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.
Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Je-
shua , an d Bani , Kadni iel , Shebaniah , Bunni , Sherebiah ,
Bani,and Chenani,and cried with a loud voice unto the
Lord their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kad-
miel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Sheba-
niah, and Pethahiah, said,
Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and
ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is ex-
alted above all blessing and praise. Thou, even thou,
art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven
of heavens, with all their host,the earth, and all things
that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and
thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven wor-
shippeth thee.
Thou art the Lord the God , who didst choose Abram ,
and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees,
and gavest him the name of Abraham; and foundest
his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant
with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hit-
tites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebu-
sites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed,
and hast performed thy words ; for thou art righteous :
and didst see the affliftion of our fathers in Egypt,
[ 1429 ]
NEHEMIAH [ix
andheardest their cry by the Red sea; and shewedst
signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his ser-
vants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knew-
est that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou
get thee a name, as it is this day. And thou didst di-
vide the sea before them, so that they went through
the midst of the sea on the dry land ; and their per-
secutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into
the mighty waters. Moreover thou leddest them in
the day by a cloudy pillar ; and in the night by a pillar
of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they
should go. Thou camest down also upon mount Si-
nai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest
them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes
and commandments: and madest known unto them
thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts,
statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
and gavest them bread from heaven for their hun-
ger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the
rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they
should go in to possess the land which thou hadst
sworn to give them.
But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hard-
ened their necks, and hearkenednot to thy command-
ments, and refused to obey, neither were mindful of
thy v/onders that thou didst among them ; but hard-
[ 1430 ]
ixl NEHEMIAH
ened their necks , and in their rebelHon appointed a cap-
tain to return to their bondage : but thou art a God ready
to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and
of great kindness, and forsookest them not. Yea, when
they had made them a molten calf, and said. This is
thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had
wrought great provocations; yet thou in thy mani-
fold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness:
the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day,
to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by
night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they
should go. Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instru6l
them, and withheldestnotthymannafromtheirmouth,
andgavestthem water for theirthirst. Yea, forty years
didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they
lacked nothing ; their clothes waxed not old, and their
feet swelled not.
Moreover thou gavestthem kingdoms and nations,
and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed
the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Hesh-
bon, and the land of Og king of Bashan, Their chil-
dren alsomultipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and
broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou
had St promised to their fathers, that they should go
in to possess it. So the children went in and possessed
the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabit-
[ 1431 ]
NEHEMIAH [ix
ants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into
their hands, with their kings, and the people of the
land, that they might do with them as they would. And
they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed
houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and
oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did
eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted
themselves in thy great goodness.
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled
against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and
slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn
them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
Therefore thou deli veredst them into the hand of their
enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their
trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardestthem
from heaven ; and according to thy manifold mercies
thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of
the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest,
they did evil again before thee : therefore leftest thou
them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had
the dominion over them : yet when they returned, and
cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and
many times didst thou deliver them according to thy
mercies ; and testifiedst against them , that thou might-
est bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt
proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments,
[ 14352 J
ix.i NEHEMIAH
but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man
do, he shall live in them ; ) and withdrew the shoul-
der, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testi-
fiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets : yet
would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them
into the hand of the people of the lands. Neverthe-
less for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly
consume them, nor forsake them ; for thou art a gra-
cious and merciful God.
Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty , and
the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy , let
not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath
come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on
our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers,
and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of As-
syria unto this day. Howbeit thou art just in all that is
brought upon us ; for thou hast done right, but we have
done wickedly: neither have our kings, our princes,
our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor heark-
ened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies,
wherewith thou didst testify against them. For they
have not served thee in their kingdom , and in thy great
goodness that thou gavest them , and in the large and
fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned
they from their wicked works. Behold, we are ser-
[ 1433 ]
NEHEMIAH ix
vants this clay, and for the land that thou gavest unto
our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good there-
of, behold, we are servants in it: and it yieldeth much
increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us
because of our sins: also they have dominion over our
bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we
are in great distress. And because of all this we make
a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Le-
vites, and priests, seal unto it.
Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tir-
shatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, Seraiah,
Azariah,Jeremiah,Pashur,Amariah,Malchijah, Hat-
tush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Oba-
diah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abi-
jah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were
the priests.
And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah,
Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; and their
brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita,Pelaiah,Hanan,
Micha, Rehob,Hashabiah,Zaccur, Sherebiah, Sheba-
niah, Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.
The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab,
Elam, Zatthu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah,
Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur, Hodijah, Ha-
shum,Bezai,Hariph,Anathoth,Nebai,Magpias]i, Me-
shullam, Hezir, Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pela-
[ 1413-1 ]
X] NEHEMIAH
tiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,Hal-
lohesh, Pileha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maase-
iah, and Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, MaUucb, Harim, Baa-
nah.
And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites,
the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they
that had separated themselves from the people of the
lands unto the law of God, tlieir wives, their sons, and
their daughters, every one having knowledge, and
having understanding ; they clave to their brethren,
their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an
oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses
the servant of God , and to observe and do all the com-
mandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments
and his statutes ; and that we v/ould not give our daugh-
ters unto the people of the land,nor take their daugh-
ters for our sons: and if the people of the land bring
ware or any vi61;uals on the sabbath day to sell, that
we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the
holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year,
and the exa6lion of every debt. Also we made or-
dinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly Vvith the
third part of a shekel for the service of the house of
our God; for the shewbread, and for the continual
meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering,
of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts,
[ 1435 ]
NEHEMIAH [x
and for tlie holy things, and for the sin offerings to
make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work
of the house of our God. And we cast the lots among
the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood
offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after
the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by
year, to bum upon the altar of the Lord our God, as
it is written in the law: and to bring the firstfruits of
our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees,
year by year, unto the house of the Lord: also the
firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written
in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our
flock s , to bring to the house of our God , unto the priests
that minister in the house of our God: and that we
should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offer-
ings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and
of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house
of our God ; and the tithes of our ground unto the Le-
vites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in
all the cities of our tillage. And the priest the son of
Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take
tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the
tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into
the treasure house. For the children of Israel and the
children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn,
of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where
[ irsi) ]
XI] NEHEMIAH
are the vessels of the san^luary, and the priests that
minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will
not forsake the house of our God.
And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem:
the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of
ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts
to dwell in other cities. And the people blessed all the
men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Je-
rusalem.
Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in
Jerusalem : but in the cities of Judah dwelt everyone in
his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests,
and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children
of Solomon's servants. And at Jerusalem dwelt cer-
tain of the children of Judah, and of the children of
Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son
of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah,
the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the
children of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch,
the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of
Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the
son of Shiloni. All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Je-
rusalem were four hundred threescore and eight va-
liant men. And these are the sons of Benjamin ; Sallu
the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pe-
daiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the
[ 1437 ]
NEHEMIAH [xi
son of Ithiel, the son of Jesai.ah. And after him Gab-
bai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eiglit. And Joel
the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the
son of Seniiah was second over the city.
Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.
Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam,
the son of Zadok,the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahi-
tub, was the ruler of the house of God. And their
brethren that did the work of the house were eight
hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Je-
roham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son
of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah,
and his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred
forty and two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the
son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of
Immer, and their brethren, mighty men of valour,
an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was
Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.
Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub,
the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of
Bunni; and Shabbethai and-Jozabad, of the chief of
the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business
of the house of God. And Mattaniahthe son of Micha,
the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal
to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah
the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of
[ 14^« ]
XI] NEHEMIAH
Shammua. the son of Galal, the son of Jecluthun. All
the Levites in the holy city were two hundred four-
score and four.
Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their
brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred se-
venty and two.
And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Le-
vites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his
inheritance. But the Nethinims dwelt-in Ophel: and
Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims. The over-
seer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son
of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah,
the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers
were over the business of the house of God. For it
was the king's commandment concerning them, that
a certain portion should be for the singers, due for
every day. And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel,
of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the
king's hand in all matters concerning the people.
And for the villages, with their fields, some of the
children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba,and in the vil-
lages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof,
and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof, and at
Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet, and at
Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in the villages
thereof, and at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the
[ 1439 ]
NEHEMIAH [xii
villages thereof, and at En-rimmon, and at Zareah,
and at Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam, and in their vil-
lages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah,
and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-
sheba unto the valley of Hinnom. The children also
of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija,
and Beth-el, and in their villages, and at Anathoth,
Nob, Ananiah, Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, Hadid, Ze-
boim, Neballat, Lod, and Ono, the valley of crafts-
men. And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and
in Benjamin.
Now these are the priests and the Levites that went
up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
Shechaniah,Rehum,Meremoth,Iddo,Ginnetho, Abi-
jah, Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, and Joiarib,
Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were
the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the
days of Jeshua. Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui,
Kadmiel,Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was
over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren. Also Bak-
bukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against
them in the watches.
And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eli-
ashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, and Joiada begat Jo-
nathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. And in the days
[ ItH) ]
XII] NEHEMIAH
of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of
Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; of Ezra,
Meshullam ; of Amariah, Jehohanan ; of Melicu, Jona-
than ; of Shebaniah, Joseph; of Harim, Adna; of Me-
raioth,Helkai; of Iddo,Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Me-
shullam ; of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah,
Piltai ; of Bilgah , Shamm ua ; of Shemaiah , Jehonathan ;
and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; of Sallai,
Kallai; of Amok, Eber; of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Je-
daiah, Nethaneel.
The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and
Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fa-
thers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Per-
sian. The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were
written in the book of the chronicles, even until the
days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And the chief of
the Levites : Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son
of Kadmiel,with their brethren over against them, to
praise and to give thanks, according to the command-
ment of David the man of God, ward over against
ward. Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshul-
lam, Talmon,Akkub, were porters keeping the ward
at the thresholds of the gates. These were in the days
of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and
in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra
the priest, the scribe.
I [ 1441 ] 2z
NEHEMIAH [xii
And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they
sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them
to Jerusalem , to keep the dedication with gladness,
both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cym-
bals, psalteries, and with harps. And the sons of the
singers gathered themselves together, both out of the
plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the
villages of Netophathi ; also from the house of Gilgal,
and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the
singers had builded them villages round about Jeru-
salem. And the priests and the Levites purified them-
selves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the
wall. Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon
the wall, and appointed two great companies of them
that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand
upon the wall toward the dung gate : and after them
went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, and
Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, Judah, and Benja-
min, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, and certain of the
priests* sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the
son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mat-
taniah, the son of Michaiah , the son of Zaccur, the son
of Asaph: and his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael,
Milalai,Gilalai, Maai,Nethaneel,and Judah, Hanani,
with the musical instruments of David the man of God,
and Ezra the scribe before them. And at the fountain
[ 144;^ ]
xri] NEHEMIAH
gate, which was over against them, they went up by
the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the
wall, above the house of David, even unto the water
gate eastward. And the other company of them that
gave thanks went over against them , and I after them ,
and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond
the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall ;
and from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the
old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of
Hananeel , and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep
gate: and they stood still in the prison gate. So stood
the two companies of them that gave thanks in the
house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with
me: and the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin,
Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with
trumpets; and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar,
and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam,
and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah
their overseer. Also that day they offered great sa-
crifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice
with great joy: the wives also and the children re-
joiced : so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even
afar off.
And at that time were some appointed over the
chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the
firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out
[ 1443 ]
NEHEMIAH [xiii
of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the
priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced for the priests
and for the Levites that waited. And both tlie sing-
ers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and
the ward of the purification, according to the com-
mandment of David, and of Solomon his son. For in
the days of David and Asaph of old there Vv^ere chief
of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving
unto God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel,
and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of
the singers and the porters, every day his portion:
and they san61:ified holy things unto the Le\ites;
and the Levites san61;ified them unto the children of
Aaron.
On that day they read in the book of Moses in the
audience of the people ; and therein was found w rit-
ten, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not
come into the congregation of God for ever ; because
they met not the children of Israel with bread and
with water, but hired Balaam against them , that he
should curse them : howbeit our God turned the curse
into a blessing. Now it came to pass, when they had
heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the
mixed multitude.
And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the
oversight of the chamber of the house of our God,
[ 1444 ]
XIII] NEHEMIAH
was allied unto Tobiah: and he had prepared for
him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the
meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels,
and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil,
which was commanded to be given to the Levites,and
the singers, and the porters ; and the offerings of the
priests. Bat in all this time was not I at Jerusalem:
for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king
of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain
days obtained I leave of the king: and I came to Je-
rusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did
for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts
of the house of God. And it grieved me sore: there-
fore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out
ofthe chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleansed
the chambers : and thither brought I again the vessels
of the house of God, with the meat offering and the
frankincense.
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had
not been given them. : for the Levites and the singers,
that did the work, were fled every one to his field.
Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is
the house of God forsaken.^ And I gathered them to-
gether, and set them in their place. Then brought all
Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the
oil unto the treasuries. And I made treasurers over
[ 1445 ]
NEHEMIAH [xni
the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the
scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah : and next to them
was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah :
for they were counted faithful, and their office was
to distribute unto their brethren.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and
wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the
house of my God, and for the offices thereof.
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine
presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and
lading asses ; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all
manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusa-
lem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in
the day wherein they sold vi6luals. There dwelt men
of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all man-
ner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the chil-
dren of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended
with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What
evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath
day .? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God
bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city .^ yet ye
bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sab-
bath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Je-
rusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I com-
manded that the gates should be shut, and charged
that they should not be opened till after the sabbath :
[ 1446 J
XIII] NEHEMIAH
and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there
should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day . So
the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged
without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified
against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about
the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.
From that time forth came they no more on the sab-
bath. And I commanded the Levites that they should
cleanse themselves, and that they should come and
keep the gates, to san6lify the sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this also,
and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
In those days also saw I Jews that had married
wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: and their
children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could
not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the
language of each people. And I contended with them,
and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and
plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God,
saying. Ye shall not give your daughters unto their
sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for
yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by
these things } yet among many nations was there no
king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God
made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even
him did outlandish women cause to sin. Shall we then
[ 1447 ]
NEHEMIAH [xiii
hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to trans-
gress against our God in marrying strange wives ?
And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the
high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite:
therefore I chased him from me. Remember them,
O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood,
and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Le-
vites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and
appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites,
every one in his business; and for the wood offer-
ing, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits.
Remember me, O my God, for good.
[ 1448 ]
THE BOOK OF
ESTHER
NOW it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus,
(this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India
even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and
twenty provinces: ) that in those days, when the king
Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom , which was
in Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign,
he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants;
the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes
of the provinces, being before him: when he shewed
the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of
his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred
and fourscore days. And when these days were ex-
pired, the king made a feast unto all the people that
were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great
and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of
the king's palace ; where were white, green, and blue,
hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple
to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of
gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue,
and white, and black, marble. And they gave them
drink in vessels of gold, ( the vessels being diverse
one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, ac-
cording to the state of the king. And the drinking was
I [ 1449 ] i2z2
ESTHER [I
according to the law; none did compel: for so the king
had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they
should do according to every man's pleasure. Also
Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the
royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
On the seventh day , when the heart of the king was
merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha,
Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas,
the seven chamberlains that served in the presence
of Ahasuerus the king, to bring Vashti the queen be-
fore the king with the crown royal, to shew the people
and the princes her beauty : for she was fair to look
on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's
commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was
the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
Then the king said to the wise men, which knew
the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all
that knew law and judgment: and the next unto him
was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres,
Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Per-
sia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which
sat the first in the kingdom : ) What shall we do unto
the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath
not performed the commandment of the king Aha-
suerus by the chamberlains.'^
And Memucan answered before the king and the
[ 1450 ]
I] ESTHER
princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the
king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the
people that are in all the provinces of the king Aha-
suerus. For this deed of the queen shall come abroad
unto all women, so that they shall despise their hus-
bands in their eyes, when it shall be reported. The
king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be
brought in before him, but she came not. Likewise
shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto
all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed
of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much con-
tempt and wrath. If it please the king, let there go a
royal commandment from him, and let it be written
among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that
it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before
king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal es-
tate unto another that is better than she. And when
the king's decree which he shall make shall be pub-
lished throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all
the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both
to great and small.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes ;
and the king did according to the word of Memu-
can: for he sent letters into all the king's provinces,
into every province according to the writing thereof,
and to every people after their language, that every
[ 14.51 ]
ESTHER [II
man should bear rule in his own house, and that it
should be published according to the language of
every people.
After these things, when the wrath of king Aha-
suerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and
what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto
him. Let there be fair young virgins sought for the
king : and let the king appoint officers in all the pro-
vinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together
all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace,
to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege
the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and
let their things for purification be given them : and
let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen in-
stead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and
he did so.
Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew,
whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son
of Shimei,the son of Kish,a Benjamite ; who had been
carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which
had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah,
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had
carried away. And he brought up Hadassah, that is,
Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither fa-
ther nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful ;
[ 1452 ]
II] ESTHER
whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were
dead, took for his own daughter.
So it came to pass, when the king's commandment
and his decree was heard, and when many maidens
were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to
the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also
unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper
of the women. And the maiden pleased him, and she
obtained kindness of him ; and he speedily gave her
her things for purification, with such things as be-
longed to her, and seven maidens, which were meet
to be given her, out of the king's house: and he pre-
ferred her and her maids unto the best place of the
house of the women. Esther had not shewed her peo-
ple nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her
that she should not shew it. And Mordecai walked
every day before the court of the women's house, to
know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
Now when every maid's turn was come to go in
to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve
months, according to the manner of the women, ( for
so were the days of their purifications accomplished,
to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months
with sweet odours, and with other things for the puri-
fying of the women ; ) then thus came every maiden
unto the king ; whatsoever she desired was given her
[ 1453 ]
ESTHER [II
to go with her out of the house of the women unto the
king's house. In the evening she went, and on the mor-
row she returned into the second house of the wo-
men, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's cham-
berlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto
the king no more, except the king delighted in her,
and that she were called by name.
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abi-
hail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his
daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she re-
quired nothing but what Hegai the king's chamber-
lain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther
obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked
upon her. So Esther was taken unto king Ahasue-
rus into his house royal in the tenth month, which
is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and
she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than
all the virgins ; so that he set the royal crown upon
her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then
the king made a great feast unto all his princes and
his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a re-
lease to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to
the state of the king. And when the virgins were
gathered together the second time, then Mordecai
sat in the king's gate. Esther had not yet shewed her
[ 1454 ]
Ill] ESTHER
kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged
her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai,
like as when she was brought up with him.
In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's
gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and
Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth,
and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And
the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Es-
ther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof
in Mordecai's name. And when inquisition was made
of the matter, it was found out ; therefore they were
both hanged on a tree : and it was written in the book
of the chronicles before the king.
After these things did king Ahasuerus promote
Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and ad-
vanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that
were with him. And all the king's servants, that were
in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman:
for the king had so commanded concerning him. But
Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the
king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said
unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's
commandment ^ Now it came to pass, when they spake
daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that
they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters
would stand : for he had told them that he was a Jew.
[ 1455 ]
ESTHER [III
And when Haman saw that Mordecai l)owed not, nor
did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. And
he thought scorn to lay liands on Mordecai alone ; for
they had shewed him the people of Mordecai : where-
fore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were
throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even
the people of Mordecai.
In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the
twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that
is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from
month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the
month Adar. And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus,
There is a certain people scattered abroad and dis-
persed among the people in all the provinces of thy
kingdom ; and their laws are diverse from all people;
neither keep they the king's laws : therefore it is not
for the king's profit to suffer them. If it please the
king, let it be written that they may be destroyed:
and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the
hands of those that have the charge of the business,
to bring it into the king's treasuries. And the king
took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman
the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given
to thee, the {people also, to do with them as it seem-
eth good to thee.
[ 145() ]
IV] ESTHER
Then were the king's scribes called on the thir-
teenth day of the first month, and there was written
according to all that Haman had commanded unto
the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were
over every province, and to the rulers of every people
of every province according to the VvTiting thereof,
and to every people after their language; in the name
of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the
king's ring. And the letters were sent by posts into
all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to
cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little
children and women, in one day, even upon the thir-
teenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month
Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. The
copy of the writing for a commandment to be given
in every province was published unto all people, that
they should be ready against that day. The posts
went out, being hastened by the king's command-
ment, and the decree was given in Shushan the pa-
lace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink ;
but the city Shushan was perplexed.
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mor-
decai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes,
and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with
a loud and a bitter cry; and came even before the
king's gate : for none might enter into the king's gate
[ 1457 ]
ESTHER [IV
clothed with sackcloth. And in every province, whi-
thersoever the king's commandment and his decree
came, there was great mourning among the Jews,
and fasting, and weeping, and wailing ; and many lay
in sackcloth and ashes.
So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and
told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved;
and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take
away his sackcloth from him : but he received it not.
Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's
chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon
her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to
know what it was, and why it was. So Hatach went
forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which
was before the king's gate. And Mordecai told him
of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum
of the money that Haman had promised to pay to
the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the de-
cree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to
shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and
to charge her that she should go in unto the king,
to make supplication unto him, and to make request
before him for her people. And Hatach came and
told Esther the words of Mordecai.
Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him
[ 1458 ]
V] ESTHER
commandment unto Mordecai : All theking's servants,
and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that
whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto
the king into the inner court, who is not called, there
is one law of his to put him to death, except such
to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre,
that he may live: but I have not been called to come
in unto the king these thirty days. And they told to
Mordecai Esther's words.
Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther,
Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the
king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou
altogether boldest thy peace at this time, then shall
there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews
from another place ; but thou and thy father's house
shall be destroyed : and who knoweth whether thou
art come to the kingdom for such a time as this.'^
Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this an-
swer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are pre-
sent in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat
nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my
maidens will fast likewise ; and so will I go in unto
the king, which is not according to the law: and if I
perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did
according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther
[ 1459 ]
ESTHER rv
put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court
of the king's house, over against the king's house:
and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal
house, over against the gate of the house. And it was
so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in
the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and
the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that
was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched
the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her,
What wilt thou, queen Esther.'^ and what is thy re-
quest.^ it shall be even given thee to the half of the
kingdom. And Esther answered, If it seem good unto
the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto
the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the
king said. Cause Haman to make haste, that he may
do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came
to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And the
king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is
thy petition.^ and it shall be granted thee : and what is
thy request.'^ even to the half of the kingdom it shall be
performed. Then answered Esther, and said. My pe-
tition and my request is : If I have found favour in the
sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my
petition, and to perform my request, let the king and
Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for
them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
[ 14.()() ]
VI] ESTHER
Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with
a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the
king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him,
he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Never-
theless Haman refrained himself: and when he came
home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh
his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his
riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the
things wherein the king had promoted him, and how
he had advanced him above the princes and servants
of the king. Haman said moreover. Yea, Esther the
queen did let no man come in with the king unto the
banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to
morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. Yet
all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai
the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then said Zeresh
his wife and all his friends unto him. Let a gallows be
made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou
unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon :
then go thou in merrily with the king unto the ban-
quet. And the thing pleased Haman ; and he caused
the gallows to be made.
On that night could not the king sleep, and he
commanded to bring the book of records of the chro-
nicles; and they were read before the king. And it was
found written , that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and
[ 1461 ]
ESTHER [VI
Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers
of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Aha-
suerus. And the king said, What honour and dignity
hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the
king's servants that ministered unto him, There is
nothing done for him. And the king said, Who is
in the court? Now Haman was come into the out-
ward court of the king's house, to speak unto the
king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had
prepared for him. And the king's servants said unto
him. Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the
king said. Let him come in. So Haman came in. And
the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the
man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Ha-
man thought in his heart, To whom would the king
delight to do honour more than to myself ? And Ha-
man answered the king. For the man whom the king
delighteth to honour, let the royal apparel be brought
which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the
king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set
upon his head: and let this apparel and horse be de-
livered to the hand of one of the king's most noble
princes, that they may array the man withal whom the
king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horse-
back through the street of the city, and proclaim be-
fore him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the
[ 14()2 ]
VII] ESTHER
king delighteth to honour. Then the king said to Ha-
inan, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse,
as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew,
that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all
that thou hast spoken.
Then took Ham an the apparel and the horse, and
arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback
through the street of the city, and proclaimed before
him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the
king delighteth to honour. And Mordecai came again
to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house
mourning, and having his head covered. And Haman
told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing
that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and
Zeresh his wife unto him. If Mordecai be of the seed
of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou
shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall be-
fore him. And while they were yet talking with him,
came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring
Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.
So the king and Haman came to banquet with Es-
ther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther
on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy
petition, queen Esther.? and it shall be granted thee:
and what is thy request.? and it shall be performed,
even to the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the
[ 1463 ]
ESTHER rvii
queen answered and said, If I have found favour in
thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my
life be given me at my petition, and my people at my
request: for we are sold, I and my people, to be de-
stroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been
sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my
tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the
king's damage.
Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto
Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that
durst presume in his heart to do so.^ And Esther said,
The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.
Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
And the king arising from the banquet of wine in
his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman
stood up to make request for his life to Esther the
queen; for he saw that there was evil determined
against him by the king. Then the king returned out
of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of
wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon
Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the
queen also before me in the house. ^ As the word went
out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.
And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before
the king. Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high,
which Ham an had made for Mordecai, who had spoken
[ 1464 ]
VIII] ESTHER
good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman.
Then the king said, Hang him thereon. So they hanged
Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mor-
decai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house
of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen.
And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had
told what he was unto her. And the king took off his
ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it
unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the
house of Haman.
And Esther spake yet again before the king, and
fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to
put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and
his device that he had devised against the Jews. Then
the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther.
So Esther arose, and stood before the king, and said,
If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his
sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and
I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the
letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the
Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which
are in all the king's provinces: for how can I endure
to see the evil that shall come unto my people.? or how
can I endure to see the destru61:ion of my kindred .?
Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the
[ 1465 ]
ESTHER tviii
queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given
Esther the house of Ham an, and him they have hanged
upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the
Jews. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in
the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for
the writing which is written in the king's name, and
sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
Then were the king's scribes called at that time in
the third month, that is, the month Sivan,on the three
and twentieth day thereof; and it was written accord-
ing to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews,
and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of
the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an
hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every pro-
vince according to the writing thereof , and unto every
people after their language, and to the Jews according
to their writing, and according to their language. And
he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it
with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horse-
back, and riders on mules, camels, and young drome-
daries : wherein the king granted the Jews which were
in every city to gather themselves together, and to
stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause
to perish, all the power of the people and province
that would assault them, both little ones and women,
and to take the spoil of them for a prey, upon one day
[ 14()6 ]
IX] ESTHER
in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon
the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the
month Adar. The copy of the writing for a command-
ment to begiven in every province was published unto
all people, and that the Jews should be ready against
that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went
out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's com-
mandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the
palace.
And Mordecai went out from the presence of the
king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a
great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen
and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was
glad. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and
honour. And in every province, and in every city,
whithersoever the king's commandment and his de-
cree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and
a good day. And many of the people of the land be-
came Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar,
on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's
commandment and his decree drew near to be put in
execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews
hoped to have power over them , ( though it was turned
to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that
[ 1467 ]
ESTHER [IX
hated them ; ) the Jews gathered themselves together
in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king
Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt:
and no man could withstand them ; for the fear of them
fell upon all people. And all the rulersof the provinces,
and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of
the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mor-
decai fell upon them. For Mordecai was great in the
king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the
provinces : for this man Mordecai waxed greater and
greater. Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with
the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruc-
tion, and did what they would unto those that hated
them. And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and
destroyed five hundred men. And Parshandatha, and
Dalphon, and Aspatha, and Poratha, and Adalia, and
Aridatha, and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and
Vajezatha, the ten sons of Haman the son of Ham-
medatha,theenemy of the Jews, slew they ; but on the
spoil laid they not their hand. On that day the num-
ber of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was
brought before the king.
And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews
have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shu-
shan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what
have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?
[ 1468 ]
IX] ESTHER
now what is thy petition ? and it shall be granted thee :
or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be grant-
ed to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow
also according unto this day's decree, and let Ra-
man's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. And the
king commanded it so to be done: and the decree
was given at Shushan ; and they hanged Haman's ten
sons. For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered
themselves together on the fourteenth day also of
the month Adar,and slew three hundred men at Shu-
shan; but on the prey they laid not their hand. But
the other Jews that were in the king's provinces ga-
thered themselves together, and stood for their lives,
and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their
foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their
hands on the prey, on the thirteenth day of the month
Adar ; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested
they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled toge-
ther on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the four-
teenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same
they rested, and made it a day of feasting and glad-
ness. Therefore the Jev/s of the villages, that dwelt
in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of
the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and
[ 1469 ]
ESTHER [IX
a good day, and of sending portions one to another.
And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters
unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the
king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, to stablish this
among them, that they should keep the fourteenth
day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the
same, yearly, as the days wherein the Jews rested
from their enemies, and the month which was turned
unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning
into a good day : that they should make them days
of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to
another, and gifts to the poor. And the Jews under-
took to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had
written unto them ; because Haman the son of Ham-
medatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had
devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had
cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to de-
stroy them ; but when Esther came before the king, he
commanded by letters that his wicked device, which
he devised against the Jews, should return upon his
own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged
on the gallows. Wherefore they called these days
Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the
words of this letter, and of that which they had seen
concerning this matter, and which had come unto
them, the Jews ordained, and took upon them, and
[ 1470 ]
X] ESTHER
upon their seed, and upon all such as joined them-
selves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they
would keep these two days according to their writing,
and according to their appointed time every year;
and that these days should be remembered and kept
throughout every generation, every family, every
province, and every city; and that these days of Pu-
rim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the
memorial of them perish from their seed.
Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail,
and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to
confirm this second letter of Purim. And he sent the
letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and
seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with
words of peace and truth, to confirm these days of
Purim in their times appointed, according as Morde-
cai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them,
and as they had decreed for themselves and for their
seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry. And
the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Pu-
rim ; and it was written in the book.
And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the
land, and upon the isles of the sea. And all the a6ls
of his power and of his might, and the declaration
of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king
advanced him, are they not written in the book of
ESTHER [X
the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? For
Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus,
and great among the Jews, and accepted of the mul-
titude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his peo-
ple, and speaking peace to all his seedo
[ 1472 ]
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