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And Gaal the sonne of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serue him? Is not he the sonne of Ierubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serue the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serue him?

And when Zebul the ruler of the citie heard the wordes of Gaal the sonne of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

And he sent messengers vnto Abimelech priuily, saying, Behold, Gaal the sonne of Ebed, and his brethren, be come to Shechem, and behold, they fortifie the citie against thee.

And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

And Abimelech gate him vp to mount Zalmon, hee and all the people that were with him, & Abimelech tooke an axe in his hand, and cut downe a bough from the trees, and tooke it, and laide it on his shoulder, and said vnto the people that were with him, What ye haue seene me doe, make haste, and doe as I haue done.

And all the people likewise cut downe euery man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the holde, and set the holde on fire vpon them: so that all the men of the towre of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

And a certaine woman cast a piece of a milstone vpon Abimelechs head, and all to brake his scull.

Then hee called hastily vnto the young man his armour-bearer, and said vnto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slewe him: and his young man thrust him through, and he died.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed euery man vnto his place.

Thus God rendred the wickednesse of Abimelech which hee did vnto his father, in slaying his seuentie brethren.

And they put away the strange gods from among them, and serued the Lord: and his soule was grieued for the misery of Israel.

And Gileads wife bare him sonnes, and his wiues sonnes grew vp, and they thrust out Iephthah, and said vnto him, Thou shalt not inherite in our fathers house, for thou art the son of a strange woman.

Then Iephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vaine men to Iephthah, and went out with him.

Then Iephthah went with the Elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captaine ouer them: and Iephthah vttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.

But Sihon trusted not Israel, to passe through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Iahaz, and fought against Israel.

And the Lord God of Israel deliuered 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 countrey.

So nowe the Lord God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possesse it?

So Iephthah passed ouer vnto the children of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord deliuered them into his hands.

And Iephthah came to Mizpeh vnto his house, and beholde, his daughter came out to meete him with timbrels and with dances, and she was his onely childe: beside her he had neither sonne nor daughter.

And it came to passe when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter, thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lord, and I cannot goe backe.