Study Desk

And they said, "For sure we will give them." So they spread out a coat, and every one of them threw into it an object he had taken.

Gideon made it into a holy vest and put it in his city, Ophrah. All Israel worshiped it there. So it became a trap to Gideon and those of his house.

So his mother's family spoke all these words for him in the ears of the leaders of Shechem. And they decided to follow Abimelech. For they said, "He is our brother."

When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He called out to them in a loud voice, "Listen to me, O men of Shechem. So God may listen to you.

So the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and rule over us!'

So you and the people who are with you get up during the night and hide in the field.

So Abimelech and all who were with him got up during the night. They hid and waited in four groups to fight against Shechem.

So Gaal went out in front of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.

Abimelech stayed at Arumah. But Zebul drove out Gaal and his family so they could not stay in Shechem.

So he took his men and divided them into three groups, and they waited in the field. When he saw Gaal's people coming out of the city, Abimelech went against them and killed them.

So Abimelech and all who were with him went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees. Then he lifted it onto his shoulder. He said to the men who were with him, "Hurry and do what you have seen me do."

So each of the men cut down his branch also, and followed Abimelech. They put the branches around the inside room and set it on fire. So all the men of the tower of Shechem died. There were about 1,000 men and women in all.

Abimelech was quick to call the young man who carried his heavy battle-clothes, saying, "Take your sword and kill me. Or else it will be said that a woman killed me." So the young man killed him with a sword.

So God punished Abimelech for the sin he had done against his father by killing his seventy brothers.

The anger of the Lord was against Israel. So He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the people of Ammon.

And the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and the family of Ephraim. So Israel suffered much pain.

Yet you have turned away from Me and served other gods. So I will not take you away again.

So they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord. And the Lord cared as He saw the suffering of Israel.

So Jephthah ran away from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Men of no worth gathered around Jephthah and went fighting and stealing with him.

They said to Jephthah, "Come and be our leader, so we may fight against the men of Ammon."