1 Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity 1 captive, thou son of 25 Abinoam. My heart is toward the governors of Israel, That offered themselves willingly among the people : Bless ye the LORD. Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit on rich carpets, And ye that walk by the way. Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates. 30 35 TV Then came down a remnant of the nobles and the people; Out of Ephraim came down they whose root is in Amalek; 40 Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal's staff. And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As was Issachar, so was Barak; Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. 1 For captivity read captors. 45 50 55 Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, 60 65 70 The kings came and fought; VI Then fought the kings of Canaan, In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo : They took no gain of money. They fought from heaven, The stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The river Kishon swept them away, That ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength.3 Then did the horsehoofs stamp By reason of the pransings,4 the pransings of their strong 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.5 1 For resolves read searchings. 2 For why ... ships? read why abideth he by the ships? 3 For march on with strength read bless the might of Jehovah. 4 For pransings read gallopings. 5 For against the mighty read among the brave (R). Blessed shall she be above women in the tent. He asked water, and she gave him milk; She brought him butter 1 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 through his head, Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples. At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay: At her feet he bowed, he fell : Where he bowed, there he fell down dead. VIII Through the window she looked forth, and cried, Why tarry the wheels 2 of his chariots ? Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned answer to herself, 75 80 85 Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? 90 A damsel, two damsels to every man ; To Sisera a spoil of divers colours, A spoil of divers colours of embroidery, Of divers colours of embroidery on both sides, on the necks of the spoil? 3 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. 1 For butter read curds. 2 For wheels read footsteps. 3 For on both . . . spoil read spoil of embroidery for the neck of the queen. 95 LESSON XXXIV GIDEON'S DELIVERANCE The Midianites invade northern Israel. Gideon wins a great victory over them, and drives them away. JUDGES VI. 1-VIII. 27 61 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel and because of Midian the children of Israel 5 made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up1 against them; and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the 10 earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up1 with their cattle and their tents, they came in as locusts for multitude. And Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD. 15 1 11 And the angel of the LORD came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite : and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou 20 mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his wondrous works which our fathers told 1 For came up read used to come up. us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in 25 this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh Lord,1 wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest 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 30 Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and lay 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 35 an ephah of meal the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. And Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD; 45 and Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! forasmuch as I have seen the 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 Jehovahshalom unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. them upon this Then the angel 40 50 33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. But the spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him. And Gideon said unto God, 55 If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if 1 For Oh Lord read My lord. |