Old
Testament Readings
Which are never read in a Roman
Catholic Mass
Biblical
Verses Omitted From Roman Catholic Mass Readings
Chapter 1
- verses
1-36 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] After the death of Josue the children of Israel consulted the Lord,
saying:
Who shall go up before us against the Chanaanite, and shall be the
leader of the war?
[2] And the Lord said:
Juda shall go up: behold I have delivered the land into his hands.
[3] And Juda said to Simeon his brother:
Come up with me into my lot, and fight against the Chanaanite, that I
also may go along with thee into thy lot.
And Simeon went with him. [4] And Juda went up, and the Lord delivered
the Chanaanite, and the Pherezite into their hands: and they slew of
them in Bezec ten thousand men. [5] And they found Adonibezec in Bezec,
and fought against him, and they defeated the Chanaanite, and the
Pherezite. [6] And Adonibezec fled: and they pursued after him and took
him, and cut off his fingers and toes.
[7] And Adonibezec said:
Seventy kings having their fingers and toes cut off, gathered up the
leavings of the meat under my table: as I have done, so hath God
requited me.
And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
[8] And the children of Juda besieging Jerusalem, took it, and put it
to the sword, and set the whole city on fire. [9] And afterwards they
went down and fought against the Chanaanite, who dwelt in the
mountains, and in the south, and in the plains.
[10] And Juda going forward against the Chanaanite, that dwelt in
Hebron (the name whereof was in former times Cariath-Arbe) slew Sesai,
and Ahiman, and Tholmai: [11] And departing from thence he went to the
inhabitants of Dabir, the ancient name of which was Cariath-Sepher,
that is, the city of letters. [12] And Caleb said:
He that shall take Cariath-Sepher, and lay it waste, to him will I give
my daughter Axa to wife.
[13] And Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb,
having taken it, he gave him Axa his daughter to wife.
[14] And as she was going on her way her husband admonished her to ask
a field of her father. And as she sighed sitting on her ass, Caleb said
to her:
What aileth thee?
[15] But she answered: Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a dry
land: give me also a watery land.
So Caleb gave her the upper and the nether watery ground.
[16] And the children of the Cinite, the kinsman of Moses, went up from
the city of palms, with the children of Juda into the wilderness of his
lot, which is at the south side of Arad, and they dwelt with him.
[17] And Juda went with Simeon his brother, and they together defeated
the Chanaanites that dwelt in Sephaath, and slew them. And the name of
the city was called Horma, that is, Anathema. [18] And Juda took Gaza
with its confines, and Ascalon and Accaron with their confines. [19]
And the Lord was with Juda, and he possessed the hill country: but was
not able to destroy the inhabitants of the valley, because they had
many chariots armed with scythes.
[20] And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, who destroyed
out of it the three sons of Enac. [21] But the sons of Benjamin did not
destroy the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem: and the Jebusite hath
dwelt with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem until this present day.
[22] The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was
with them. [23] For when they were besieging the city, which before was
called Luza, [24] They saw a man coming out of the city, and they said
to him:
shew us the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.
[25] And when he had shewn them, they smote the city with the edge of
the sword: but that man and all his kindred they let go: [26] Who being
sent away, went into the land of Hethim, and built there a city, and
called it Luza: which is so called until this day.
[27] Manasses also did not destroy Bethsan, and Thanac with their
villages, nor the inhabitants of Dor, and Jeblaam, and Mageddo with
their villages. And the Chanaanite began to dwell with them. [28] But
after Israel was grown strong he made them tributaries, and would not
destroy them.
[29] Ephraim also did not slay the Chanaanite that dwelt in Gazer, but
dwelt with him.
[30] Zabulon destroyed not the inhabitants of Cetron, and Naalol: but
the Chanaanite dwelt among them, and became their tributaries.
[31] Aser also destroyed not the inhabitants of Accho, and of Sidon, of
Ahalab, and of Achazib, and of Helba, and of Aphec, and of Rohob: [32]
And he dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanites the inhabitants of that
land, and did not slay them.
[33] Nephtali also destroyed not the inhabitants of Bethsames, and of
Bethanath: and he dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanites the inhabitants
of the land, and the Bethsamites and Bethanites were tributaries to him.
[34] And the Amorrhite straitened the children of Dan in the mountain,
and gave them not place to go down to the plain: [35] And he dwelt in
the mountain Hares, that is, of potsherds, in Aialon and Salebim. And
the hand of the house of Joseph was heavy upon him, and he became
tributary to him.
[36] And the border of the Amorrhite was from the ascent of the
scorpion, the rock, and the higher places.
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Chapter 2
- verses
1-10 and 20-23 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And an angel of the Lord went up from Galgal to the place of
weepers, and said:
I made you go out of Egypt, and have brought you into the land for
which I swore to your fathers: and I promised that I would not make
void my covenant with you for ever: [2] On condition that you should
not make a league with the inhabitants of this land, but should throw
down their altars: and you would not hear my voice: why have you done
this? [3] Wherefore I would not destroy them from before your face:
that you may have enemies, and their gods may be your ruin.
[4] And when the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the
children of Israel, they lifted up their voice, and wept. [5] And the
name of that place was called, The place of weepers, or of tears: and
there they offered sacrifices to the Lord.
[6] And Josue sent away the people, and the children of Israel went
every one to his own possession to hold it:
[7] And they served the Lord all his days, and the days of the
ancients, that lived a long time after him, and who knew all the works
of the Lord, which he had done for Israel. [8] And Josue the son of
Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being a hundred and ten years old,
[9] And they buried him in the borders of his possession in
Thamnathsare in mount Ephraim, on the north side of mount Gaas. [10]
And all that generation was gathered to their fathers: and there arose
others that knew not the Lord, and the works which he had done for
Israel.
[20] And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said:
Behold this nation hath made void my covenant, which I had made with
their fathers, and hath despised to hearken to my voice: [21] I also
will not destroy the nations which Josue left, when he died: [22] That
through them I may try Israel, whether they will keep the way of the
Lord, and walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not.
[23] The Lord therefore left all these nations, and would not quickly
destroy them, neither did he deliver them into the hands of Josue.
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Chapter 3
- verses
1-31 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] These are the nations which the Lord left, that by them he might
instruct Israel, and all that had not known the wars of the
Chanaanites: [2] That afterwards their children might learn to fight
with their enemies, and to be trained up to war: [3] The five princes
of the Philistines, and all the Chanaanites, and the Sidonians, and the
Hevites that dwelt in mount Libanus, from mount Baal Hermon to the
entering into Emath. [4] And he left them, that he might try Israel by
them, whether they would hear the commandments of the Lord, which he
had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses, or not.
[5] So the children of Israel dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanite, and
the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and
the Jebusite: [6] And they took their daughters to wives, and they gave
their own daughters to their sons, and they served their gods.
[7] And they did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they forgot their
God, and served Baalim and Astaroth. [8] And the Lord being angry with
Israel, delivered them into the hands of Chusan Rasathaim king of
Mesopotamia, and they served him eight years. [9] And they cried to the
Lord, who raised them up a saviour, and delivered them, to wit,
Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb: [10] And the
spirit of the Lord was in him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to
fight, and the Lord delivered into his hands Chusan Rasathaim king of
Syria, and he overthrew him. [11] And the land rested forty years, and
Othoniel the son of Cenez died.
[12] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
Lord: who strengthened against them Eglon king of Moab: because they
did evil in his sight.
[13] And he joined to him the children of Ammon, and Amalec: and he
went and overthrew Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. [14]
And the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years:
[15] And afterwards they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a
saviour called Aod, the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, who used the
left hand as well as the right. And the children of Israel sent
presents to Eglon king of Moab by him.
[16] And he made himself a two-edged sword, with a haft in the midst of
the length of the palm of the hand, and was girded therewith under his
garment on the right thigh. [17] And he presented the gifts to Eglon
king of Moab. Now Eglon was exceeding fat. [18] And when he had
presented the gifts unto him, he followed his companions that came
along with him. [19] Then returning from Galgal, where the idols were,
be said to the king:
I have a secret message to thee, O king.
And he commanded
silence:
and all being gone out that were about him,
[20] Aod went in to him: now he was sitting in a summer parlour alone,
and he said:
I have a word from God to thee.
And he forthwith rose up from his throne, [21] And Aod put forth his
left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into
his belly, [22] With such force that the haft went in after the blade
into the wound, and was closed up with the abundance of fat. So that he
did not draw out the dagger, but left it in his body as he had struck
it in. And forthwith by the secret parts of nature the excrements of
the belly came out. [23] But Aod carefully shutting the doors of the
parlour and locking them, [24] Went out by a postern door. And the
king's servants going in, saw the doors of the parlour shut, and they
said:
Perhaps he is easing nature in his summer parlour.
[25] And waiting a long time till they were ashamed, and seeing that no
man opened the door, they took a key: and opening, they found their
lord lying dead on the ground. [26] But Aod, while they were in
confusion, escaped, and passed by the place of the idols, from whence
he had returned. And he came to Seirath:
[27] And forthwith he sounded the trumpet in mount Ephraim: and the
children of Israel went down with him, he himself going in the front.
[28] And he said to them:
Follow me: for the Lord hath delivered our enemies the Moabites into
our hands.
And they went down after him, and seized upon the fords of the Jordan,
which are in the way to Moab: and they suffered no man to pass over.
[29] But they slew of the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand,
all strong and Valiant men: none of them could escape. [30] And Moab
was humbled that day under the hand of Israel: and the land rested
eighty years.
[31] After him was Samgar the son of Anath, who slew of the Philistines
six hundred men with a ploughshare: and he also defended Israel.
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Chapter 4
- verses
1-24 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord
after the death of Aod, [2] And the Lord delivered them up into the
hands of Jaban king of Chanaan, who reigned in Asor: and he had a
general of his army named Sisara, and he dwelt in Haroseth of the
Gentiles.
[3] And the children of Israel cried to the Lord: for he had nine
hundred chariots set with scythes, and for twenty years had grievously
oppressed them.
[4] And there was at that time Debbora a prophetess the wife of
Lapidoth, who judged the people, [5] And she sat under a palm tree,
which was called by her name, between Rama and Bethel in mount Ephraim:
and the children of Israel came up to her for all judgment.
[6] And she sent and called Barac the son of Abinoem out of Cedes in
Nephtali: and she said to him:
The Lord God of Israel hath commanded thee: Go, and lead an army to
mount Thabor, and thou shalt take with thee ten thousand fighting men
of the children of Nephtali, and of the children of Zabulon: [7] And I
will bring unto thee in the place of the torrent Cison, Sisara the
general of Jabin's army, and his chariots, and all his multitude, and
will deliver them into thy hand.
[8] And Barac said to her:
If thou wilt come with me, I will go: if thou wilt not come with me, I
will not go.
[9] She said to him:
I will go indeed with thee, but at this time the victory shall not be
attributed to thee, because Sisara shall be delivered into the hand of
a woman.
Debbora therefore arose, and went with Barac to Cedes. [10] And he
called unto him Zabulon and Nepbtali, and went up with ten thousand
fighting men, having Debbora in his company.
[11] Now Haber the Cinite had some time before departed from the rest
of the Cinites his brethren the sons of Hobab, the kinsman of Moses:
and had pitched his tents unto the valley which is called Sellnim, and
was near Cedes.
[12] And it was told Sisara, that Barac the son of Ablinoem was gone up
to mount Thabor: [13] And he gathered together his nine hundred
chariots armed with scythes, and all his army from Haroseth of the
Gentiles to the torrent Cison.
[14] And Debbora said to Barac:
Arise, for this is the day wherein the Lord hath delivered Sisara into
thy hands: behold he is thy leader.
And Barac went down from mount Thabor, and ten thousand fighting men
with him. [15] And the Lord struck a terror into Sisara, and all his
chariots, and all his multitude, with the edge of the sword, at the
sight of Barac, insomuch that Sisara leaping down from off his chariot,
fled away on foot.
[16] And Barac pursued after the fleeing chariots and the army unto
Haroseth of the Gentiles, and all the multitude of the enemies was
utterly destroyed.
[17] But Sisara fleeing came to the tent of Jahel the wife of Haber the
Cinite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Asor, and the
house of Haber the Cinite.
[18] And Jahel went forth to meet Sisara, and said to him:
Come in to me, my lord, come in, fear not.
He went in to her tent, and being covered by her with a cloak, [19]
Said to her:
Give me, I beseech thee, a little water, for I am very thirsty.
She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and covered him.
[20] And Sisara said to her:
Stand before the door of the tent, and when any shall come and inquire
of thee, saying: Is there any man here? thou shalt say: There is none.
[21] So Jahel Haber's wife took a nail of the tent, and taking also a
hammer: and going in softly, and with silence, she put the nail upon
the temples of his head, and striking it With the hammer, drove it
through his brain fast into the ground: and so passing from deep sleep
to death, he fainted away and died.
[22] And behold Barac came pursuing after Sisara: and Jahel went out to
meet him, and said to him:
Come, and I will shew thee, the man whom thou seekest.
And when he came into her tent, be saw Sisara lying dead, and the nail
fastened in his temples.
[23] So God that day humbled Jabin the king of Chanaan before the
children of Israel: [24] Who grew daily stronger, and with a mighty
hand overpowered Jabin king of Chanaan, till they quite destroyed him.
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Chapter 5
- verses
1-32 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] In that day Debbora and Barac son of Abinoem sung, and said:
[2] O you of Israel, that have willingly offered your lives to danger,
bless the Lord.
[3] Hear, O ye kings, give ear, ye princes: It is I, it is I, that will
sing to the Lord, I will sing to the Lord the God of Israel.
[4] O Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, and passedst by the regions
of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped water.
[5] The mountains melted before the face of the Lord, and Sinai before
the face of the Lord the God of Israel.
[6] In the days of Samgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jahel the
paths rested: and they that went by them, walked through by-ways.
[7] The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel: until Debbora arose,
a mother arose in Israel.
[8] The Lord chose new wars, and he himself overthrew the gates of the
enemies: a shield and spear was not seen among forty thousand of Israel.
[9] My heart loveth the princes of Israel: O you that of your own good
will offered yourselves to danger, bless the Lord.
[10] Speak, you that ride upon fair asses, and you that sit in
judgment, and walk in the way.
[11] Where the chariots were dashed together, and the army of the
enemies was choked, there let the justices of the Lord be rehearsed,
and his clemency towards the brave men of Israel: then the people of
the Lord went down to the gates, and obtained the sovereignty.
[12] Arise, arise, O Debbora, arise, arise, and utter a canticle.
Arise, Barac, and take hold of thy captives, O son of Abinoem.
[13] The remnants of the people are saved, the Lord hath fought among
the valiant ones.
[14]Out of Ephraim he destroyed them into Amalec, and after him out of
Benjamin into thy people, O Amalec: Out of Machir there came down
princes, and out of Zabulon they that led the army to fight.
[15] The captains of Issachar were with Debbora, and followed the steps
of Barac, who exposed himself to danger, as one going headlong, and
into a pit. Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a
strife of courageous men.
[16] Why dwellest thou between two borders, that thou mayest hear the
bleatings of the flocks? Ruben being divided against himself, there was
found a strife of courageous men.
[17] Galaad rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan applied himself to ships:
Aser dwelt on the sea shore, and abode in the havens.
[18] But Zabulon and Nephtali offered their lives to death in the
region of Merome.
[19] The kings came and fought, the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanach
by the waters of Mageddo, and yet they took no spoils.
[20] War from heaven was made against them, the stars remaining in
their order and courses fought against Sisara.
[21] The torrent of Cison dragged their carcasses, the torrent of
Cadumim, the torrent of Cisoii: tread thou, my soul, upon the strong
ones.
[22] The hoofs of the horses were broken whilst the stoutest of the
enemies fled amain, and fell headlong down.
[23] Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord: curse the
inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to
help his most valiant men.
[24] Blessed among women be Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, and
blessed be she in her tent.
[25] He asked her water and she gave him milk, and offered him butter
in a dish fit for princes.
[26] She put her left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the
workman's hammer, and she struck Sisara, seeking in his head a place
for the wound, and strongly piercing through his temples.
[27] At her feet he fell: he fainted, and he died: he rolled before her
feet, and he lay lifeless and wretched.
[28] His mother looked out at a window, and howled: and she spoke from
the dining room: Why is his chariot so long in coming back? Why are the
feet of his horses so slow?
[29] One that was wiser than the rest of his wives, returned this
answer to her mother in law:
[30] Perhaps he is now dividing the spoils, and the fairest of the
women is chosen out for him: garments of divers colours are given to
Sisara for his prey, and furniture of different kinds is heaped
together to adorn the necks.
[31] So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love thee
shine, as the sun shineth in his rising.
[32] And the land rested for forty years.
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Chapter 6
- verses
1-10 and 24b-40 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord:
and he delivered them into the hand of Madian seven years. [2] And they
were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and
eaves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist.
[3] And when Israel had sown, Madian and Amalec, and the rest of the
eastern nations came up: [4] And pitching their tents among them,
wasted all things as they were in the blade even to the entrance of
Gaza: and they left nothing at all in Israel for sustenance of life,
nor sheep, nor oxen, nor asses. [5] For they and all their flocks came
with their tents, and like locusts filled all places, an innumerable
multitude of men, and of camels, wasting whatsoever they touched. [6]
And Israel was humbled exceedingly in the sight of Madian.
[7] And he cried to the Lord desiring help against the Madianites. [8]
And he sent unto them a prophet, and he spoke:
Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made you to come up out of
Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage, [9] And delivered
you out of the hands of the Egyptians, and of all the enemies that
afflicted you: and I cast them out at your coming in, and gave you
their land. [10] And I said: I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods
of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell. And you would not hear my
voice.
[24] ... And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the family of Ezri,
[25] That night the Lord said to him:
Take a bullock of thy father's, and another bullock of seven years, and
thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy father's: and cut
down the grove that is about the altar: [26] And thou shalt build an
altar to the Lord thy God in the top of this rock, whereupon thou didst
lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullock, and
shalt offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut
down out of the grove.
[27] Then Gedeon taking ten men of his servants, did as the Lord had
commanded him. But fearing his father's house, and the men of that
city, he would not do it by day, but did all by night.
[28] And when the men of that town were risen in the morning, they saw
the altar of Baal destroyed, and the grove cut down, and the second
bullock laid upon the altar, which then was built. [29] And they said
one to another:
Who hath done this?
And when they inquired for the author of the fact, it was said:
Gedeon the son of Joas did all this.
[30] And they said to Joas:
Bring out thy son hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed
the altar of Baal, and hath cut down his grove.
[31] He answered them:
Are you the avengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his
adversary, let him die before tomorrow light appear: if he be a god,
let him revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.
[32] From that day Gedeon was called Jerobaal, because Joss had said:
Let Baal revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.
[33] Now all Madian, and Amalec, and the eastern people were gathered
together, and passing over the Jordan, camped in the valley of Jezrael.
[34] But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, and be sounded the
trumpet and called together the house of Abiezer, to follow him. [35]
And he sent messengers into all Manasses, and they also followed him:
and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nephtali, and they came
to meet him.
[36] And Gedeon said to God:
If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said, [37] I will put
this fleece of wool on the floor: if there be dew on the fleece only,
and it be dry on all the ground beside, I, shall know that by my hand,
as thou hast said, thou wilt deliver Israel.
[38] And it was so. And rising before day wringing the fleece, he
filled a vessel with the dew. [39] And he said again to God:
let not thy wrath be kindled against me if I try once more, seeking a
sign in the fleece. I pray that the fleece only may be dry, and all the
ground wet with dew.
[40] And God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the
fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
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Chapter 7
- verses
1-25 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Then Jerobaal, who is the same as Gedeon, rising up early and all
the people with him, came to the fountain that is called Harad. Now the
camp of Madian was in the valley on the north side of the high hill.
[2] And the Lord said to Gedeon:
The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be
delivered into their hands: lest Israel should glory against me, and
say: I was delivered by my own strength. [3] Speak to the people, and
proclaim in the hearing of all, I Whosoever is fearful and timorous,
let him return.
So two and twenty thousand men went away from mount Galaad and returned
home, and only ten thousand remained.
[4] And the Lord said to Gedeon:
The people are still too many, bring them to the waters, and there I
will try them: and of whom I shall say to thee, This shall go with
thee, let him go: whom I shall forbid to go, let him return.
[5] And when the people were come down to the waters, the Lord said to
Gedeon:
They that shall lap the water with their tongues, as dogs are wont to
lap, thou shalt set apart by themselves: but they that shall drink
bowing down their knees, shall be on the other side.
[6] And the number of them that had lapped water, casting it with the
hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: and all the rest of the
multitude had drunk kneeling.
[7] And the Lord said to Gedeon:
By the three hundred men, that lapped water, I will save you, and
deliver Madian into thy hand: but let all the rest of the people return
to their place.
[8] So taking victuals and trumpets according to their number, he
ordered all the rest of the multitude to depart to their tents: and he
with the three hundred gave himself to the battle.
Now the camp of Madian was beneath him in the valley. [9] The same
night the Lord said to him:
Arise, and go down into the camp: because I have delivered them into
thy hand. [10] But if thou be afraid to go alone, let Phara thy servant
go down with thee. [11] And when thou shalt hear what they are saying,
then shall thy hands be strengthened, and thou shalt go down more
secure to the enemies' camp.
And he went down with Phara his servant into part of the camp, where
was the watch of men in arms. [12] But Madian and Amalec, and all the
eastern people lay scattered in the valley, as a multitude of locusts:
their camels also were innumerable as the sand that lieth on the sea
shore. [13] And when Gedeon was come, one told his neighbour a dream:
and in this manner related what he had seen: I dreamt a dream, and it
seemed to me as if a hearth cake of barley bread rolled and came down
into the camp of Madian: and when it was come to a tent it struck it,
and beat it down flat to the ground.
[14] He to whom he spoke, answered:
This is nothing else but the sword of Gedeon the son of Joas a man of
Israel. For the Lord hath delivered Madian, and all their camp into his
hand.
[15] And when Gedeon had heard the dream, and the interpretation
thereof, he adored: and returned to the camp of Israel, and said:
Arise, for the Lord hath delivered the camp of Madian into our hands.
[16] And he divided the three hundred men into three parts, and gave
them trumpets in their hands, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the
pitchers. [17] And he said to them:
What you shall see me do, do you the same: I will go into one part of
the camp, and do you as I shall do. [18] When the trumpet shall sound
in my hand, do you also blow the trumpets on every side of the camp.
[19] And Gedeon, and the three hundred men that were with him, went
into part of the camp, at the beginning of the midnight watch, and the
watchmen being alarmed, they began to sound their trumpets, and to clap
the pitchers one against another.
[20] And when they sounded their trumpets in three places round about
the camp, and had broken their pitchers, they held their lamps in their
left hands, and with their right hands the trumpets which they blew,
and they cried out:
The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon;
[21] Standing every man in his place round about the enemies' camp. So
all the camp was troubled, and crying out and howling they fled away.
[22] And the three hundred men nevertheless persisted sounding the
trumpets. And the Lord sent the sword into all the camp, and they
killed one another, [23] Fleeing as far as Bethsetta, and the border of
Abelmahula in Tebbath. But the men of Israel shouting from Nephtali and
Aser, and from all Manasses pursued after Madian. [24] And Gedeon sent
messengers into all mount Ephraim, saying:
Come down to meet Madian, and take the waters before them to Bethbera
and the Jordan.
And all Ephraim shouted, and took the waters before them and the Jordan
as far as Bethbera. [25] And having taken two men of Madian, Oreb and
Zeb: Oreb they slew in the rock of Oreb, and Zeb in the winepress of
Zeb. And they pursued Madian, carrying the heads of Oreb and Zeb to
Gedeon beyond the waters of the Jordan.
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Chapter 8
- verses
1-35 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the men of Ephraim said to him:
What is this that thou meanest to do, that thou wouldst not call us
when thou wentest to fight against Madian?
and they chid him sharply and almost offered violence. [2] And he
answered them:
What could I have done like to that which you have done? Is not one
bunch of grapes of Ephraim better than the vintages of Abiezer? [3] The
Lord hath delivered into your bands the princes of Madian, Oreb and
Zeb: what could I have done like to what you have done?
And when he had said this, their spirit was appeased, with which they
swelled against him.
[4] And when Gedeon was come to the Jordan, he passed over it with the
three hundred men, that were with him: who were so weary that they
could not pursue after them that fled. [5] And he said to the men of
Soccoth:
Give, I beseech you, bread to the people that is with me, for they are
faint: that we may pursue Zebee, and Salmana the kings of Madian.
[6] The princes of Soccoth answered:
Peradventure the palms of the hands of Zebee and Salmana are in thy
hand, and therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to thy
army.
[7] And he said to them:
When the Lord therefore shall have delivered Zebee and Salmana into my
hands, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the
desert.
[8] And going up from thence, he came to Phanuel: and he spoke the like
things to the men of that place. And they also answered him, as the men
of Soccoth had answered. [9] He said therefore to them also:
When I shall return a conqueror in peace, I will destroy this tower.
[10] But Zebee and Salmana were resting with all their army. For
fifteen thousand men were left of all the troops of the eastern people,
and one hundred and twenty thousand warriors that drew the sword, were
slain.
[11] And Gedeon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the
east of Nobe and Jegbaa, and smote the camp of the enemies, who were
secure, and suspected no hurt. [12] And Zebee and Salmana fled, and
Gedeon pursued and took them, all their host being put in confusion.
[13] And returning from the battle before the sun rising, [14] He took
a boy of the men of Soccoth: and he asked him the names of the princes
and ancients of Soccoth, and he described unto him seventy-seven men.
[15] And he came to Soccoth and said to them:
Behold Zebee and Salmana, concerning whom you upbraided me, saying:
Peradventure the hands of Zebee and Salmana, are in thy hands, and
therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to the men that are
weary and faint.
[16] So he took the ancients of the city and thorns and briers of the
desert, and tore them with the same, and cut in pieces the men of
Soccoth. [17] And he demolished the tower of Phanuel, and slew the men
of the city. [18] And he said to Zebee and Salmana:
What manner of men were they whom you slew in Thabor?
They answered:
They were like thee, and one of them as the son of a king.
[19] He answered them:
They were my brethren, the sons of my mother. As the Lord liveth, if
you had saved them, I would not kill you.
[20] And he said to Jether his eldest son:
Arise, and slay them.
But he drew not his sword: for he was afraid, being but yet a boy.
[21] And Zebee and Salmana said:
Do thou rise, and run upon us: because the strength of a man is
according to his age:
Gedeon rose up and slew Zebee and Salmana: and he took the ornaments
and bosses, with which the necks of the camels of kings are wont to be
adorned.
[22] And all the men of Israel said to Gedeon:
Rule thou over us and thy son, and thy son's son: because thou hast
delivered us from the hand of Madian.
[23] And he said to them:
I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you, but the
Lord shall rule over you.
[24] And he said to them:
I desire one request of you: Give me the earlets of your spoils. For
the Ismaelites were accustomed to wear golden earlets.
[25] They answered:
We will give them most willingly.
And spreading a mantle on the ground, they cast upon it the earlets of
the spoils. [26] And the weight of the earlets that he requested, was a
thousand seven hundred sicles of gold, besides the ornaments, and
jewels, and purple raiment which the kings of Madian were went to use,
and besides the golden chains that were about the camels' necks. [27]
And Gedeon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city Ephra. And all
Israel committed fornication with it, and it became a ruin to Gedeon
and to all his house.
[28] But Madian was humbled before the children of Israel, neither
could they any more lift up their beads: but the land rested for forty
years, while Gedeon presided.
[29] So Jerobaal the son of Joas went, and dwelt in his own house. [30]
And he had seventy sons, who came out of his thigh, for he had many
wives. [31] And his concubine, that he had in Sichem, bore him a son,
whose name was Abimelech.
[32] And Gedeon the son of Joas died in a good old age, and was buried
in the sepulchre of his father in Ephra of the family of Ezri. [33] But
after Gedeon was dead, the children of Israel turned again, and
committed fornication with Baalim. And they made a covenant with Baal,
that he should be their god: [34] And they remembered not the Lord
their God, who delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies
round about: [35] Neither did they shew mercy to the house of Jerobaal
Gedeon, according to all the good things he had done to Israel.
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Chapter 9
- verses
1-5 and 16-57 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem to his mother's
brethren and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother's
father, saying:
[2] Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that
seventy men all the sons of Jerobaal should rule over you, or that one
man should rule over you? And withal consider that I am your bone, and
your flesh.
[3] And his mother's brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem,
all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying:
He is our brother:
[4] And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of
Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and
vagabonds, and they followed him. [5] And he came to his father's house
in Ephra, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon
one stone: and there remained only Joatham the youngest son of
Jerobaal, who was hidden.
[16] Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing
Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with
his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who
fought for you, [17] And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you
from the hands of Madian, [18] And you are now risen up against my
father's house, and have killed his sons seventy men upon one stone,
and have made Abimelech the son of his handmaid king over the
inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother: [19] If therefore
you have dealt well, and without fault with Jerobaal, and his house,
rejoice ye this day in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you. [20] But
if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of
Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of
Sichem, and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.
[21] And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt
there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
[22] So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years. [23] And the
Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of
Sichem: who began to detest him, [24] And to leave the crime of the
murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood
upon Abimelech their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the
Sichemites, who aided him. [25] And they set an ambush against him on
the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they
committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was
told Abimelech.
[26] And Gaal the son of Obed came with his brethren, and went over to
Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem taking courage at his coming,
[27] Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down
the grapes: and singing and dancing they went into the temple of their
god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech. [28] And
Gaal the son of Obed cried:
Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he
not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the
men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him? [29]
Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I
might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech:
Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.
[30] For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the
son of Obed, was very angry, [31] And sent messengers privately to
Abimelech, saying:
Behold Gaal the son of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and
endeavoureth to set the city against thee. [32] Arise therefore in the
night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field: [33]
And betimes in the morning at sun rising set upon the city. And when he
shall come out against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt
be able.
[34] Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid
ambushes near Sichem in four places. [35] And Gaal the son of Obed went
out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech
rose up, and all his army with him from the places of the ambushes.
[36] And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul:
Behold a multitude cometh down from the mountains.
And he answered him:
Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of
men, and this is thy mistake.
[37] Again Gaal said:
Behold there cometh people down from the middle of the land, and one
troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.
[38] And Zebul said to him:
Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst? Who is Abimelech that we
should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go
out, and fight against him.
[39] So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought
against Abimelech, [40] Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him
to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the
city: [41] And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and
his companions out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in
it.
[42] So the day following the people went out into the field. And it
was told Abimelech. [43] And he took his army, and divided it into
three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the
people came out of the city, he arose and set upon them, [44] With his
own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other
companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field. [45]
And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed
the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.
[46] And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem had heard this,
they went into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a
covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it
was exceeding strong. [47] Abimelech also hearing that the men of the
tower of Sichem were gathered together, [48] Went up into mount Selmon
he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the
bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said
to his companions:
What you see me do, do you out of hand.
[49] So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he
could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort they set it
on fire: and so it came to pass that with the smoke and with the fire a
thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the
inhabitants of the tower of Sichem.
[50] Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes,
which he surrounded and besieged with his army. [51] And there was in
the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women
were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut
and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the
tower to defend themselves. [52] And Abimelech coming near the tower,
fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to
it: [53] And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from
above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
[54] And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him:
Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by
a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.
[55] And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him,
returned to their homes. [56] And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech
had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren. [57] The
Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of
Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
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Chapter 10
- verses
1-18 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] After Abimelech there arose a ruler in Israel, Thola son of Phua
the uncle of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, who dwelt in Samir of mount
Ephraim: [2] And he judged Israel three and twenty years, and he died
and was buried in Samir.
[3] To him succeeded Jair the Galaadite, who judged Israel for two and
twenty years. [4] Having thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and
were princes of thirty cities, which from his name were called Havoth
Jair, that is, the towns of Jair, until this present day in the land of
Galaad. [5] And Jair died: and was buried in the place which was called
Camon.
[6] But the children of Israel, adding new sins to their old ones, did
evil in the sight of the Lord, and served idols, Baalim and Astaroth,
and the gods of Syria and of Sidon and of Moab and of the children of
Ammon and of the Philistines: and they left the Lord, and did not serve
him.[7] And the Lord being angry with them, delivered them into the
hands of the Philistines and of the children of Ammon. [8] And they
were afflicted, and grievously oppressed for eighteen years, all they
that dwelt beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorrhite, who is in
Galaad:
[9] Insomuch that the children of Ammon passing over the Jordan, wasted
Juda and Benjamin and Ephraim: and Israel was distressed exceedingly.
[10] And they cried to the Lord, and said:
We have sinned against thee, because we have forsaken the Lord our God,
and have served Baalim.
[11] And the Lord said to them:
Did not the Egyptians and the Amorrhites, and the children of Ammon and
the Philistines, [12] The Sidonians also and Amalec and Chanaan oppress
you, and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand? [13]
And yet you have forsaken me, and have worshipped strange gods:
therefore I will deliver you no more: [14] Go and call upon the gods
which you have chosen: let them deliver you in the time of distress.
[15] And the children of Israel said to the Lord:
We have sinned, do thou unto us whatsoever pleaseth thee: only deliver
us this time.
[16] And saying these things, they cast away out of their coasts all
the idols of strange gods and served the Lord their God: and he was
touched with their miseries.
[17] And the children of Ammon shouting together, pitched their tents
in Galaad: against whom the children of Israel assembled themselves
together and camped in Maspha. [18] And the princes of Galaad said one
to another:
Whosoever of us shall first begin to fight against the children of
Ammon, he shall be the leader of the people of Galaad.
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Chapter 11
- verses
1-28 and 39b-40 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] There was at that time Jephte the Galaadite, a most valiant man and
a warrior, the son of a woman that was a harlot, and his father was
Galaad. [2] Now Galaad had a wife of whom he had sons: who after they
were grown up, thrust out Jephte, saying:
Thou canst not inherit in the house of our father, because thou art
born of another mother.
[3] Then he fled and avoided them and dwelt in the land of Tob: and
there were gathered to him needy men, and robbers, and they followed
him as their prince.
[4] In those days the children of Ammon made war against Israel. [5]
And as they pressed hard upon them, the ancients of Galaad went to
fetch Jephte out of the land of Tob to help them: [6] And they said to
him:
Come thou and be our prince, and fight against the children of Ammon.
[7] And he answered them:
Are not you the men that hated me, and cast me out of my father's
house, and now you are come to me constrained by necessity?
[8] And the princes of Galaad said to Jephte:
For this cause we are now come to thee, that thou mayst go with us, and
fight against the children of Ammon, and be head over all the
inhabitants of Galaad.
[9] Jephte also said to them:
If you be come to me sincerely, that I should fight for you against the
children of Ammon, and the Lord shall deliver them into my band, shall
I be your prince?
[10] They answered him:
The Lord who heareth these things, he himself is mediator and witness
that we will do as we have promised.
[11] Jephte therefore went with the princes of Galaad, and all the
people made him their prince. And Jephte spoke all his words before the
Lord in Maspha.
[12] And he sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, to
say in his name,
What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me, to waste
my land?
[13] And he answered them:
I Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from
the confines of the Arnon unto the Jaboc and the Jordan: now therefore
restore the same peaceably to me.
[14] And Jephte again sent word by them, and commanded them to say to
the king of Ammon:
[15] Thus saith Jephte:Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor
the land of the children of Ammon: [16] But when they came up out of
Egypt, he walked through the desert to the Red Sea and came into Cades.
[17] And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: Suffer me to
pass through thy land. But he would not condescend to his request. He
sent also to the king of Moab, who likewise refused to give him
passage. He abode therefore in Cades,
[18] And went round the land of Edom at the side, and the land of Moab:
and came over against the east coast of the land of Moab, and camped on
the other side of the Arnon: and he would not enter the bounds of Moab.
[19] So Israel sent messengers to Sehon king of the Amorrhites, who
dwelt in Hesebon, and they said to him: Suffer me to pass through thy
land to the river. [20] But he also despising the words of Israel,
suffered him not to pass through his borders: but gathering an infinite
multitude, went out against him to Jasa, and made strong opposition.
[21] And the Lord delivered him with all his army into the hands of
Israel, and he slew him, and possessed all the land of the Amorrhite
the inhabitant of that country, [22] And all the coasts thereof from
the Arnon to the Jaboc, and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
[23] So the Lord the God of Israel destroyed the Amorrhite, his people
of Israel fighting against him, and wilt thou now possess this land?
[24] Are not those things which thy god Chamos possesseth, due to thee
by right? But what the Lord our God hath obtained by conquest, shall be
our possession: [25] Unless perhaps thou art better than Balac the son
of Sephor king of Moab: or canst shew that he strove against Israel and
fought against him, [26] Whereas he hath dwelt in Hesebon, and the
villages thereof, and in Aroer, and its villages, and in all the cities
near the Jordan, for three hundred years. Why have you for so long a
time attempted nothing about this claim?
[27] Therefore I do not trespass against thee, but thou wrongest me by
declaring an unjust war against me. The Lord be judge and decide this
day between Israel and the children of Ammon.
[28] And the king of the children of Ammon would not hearken to the
words of Jephte, which he sent him by the messengers.
[39] ... From thence came a fashion in Israel, and a custom has been
kept: [40] That from year to year the daughters of Israel assemble
together, and lament the daughter of Jephte the Galaadite for four days.
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Chapter 12
- verses
1-15 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] But behold there arose a sedition in Ephraim. And passing towards
the north, they said to Jephte:
When thou wentest to fight against the children of Ammon, why wouldst
thou not call us, that we might go with thee? Therefore we will burn
thy house.
[2] And he answered them:
I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon: and I
called you to assist me, and you would not do it. [3] And when I saw
this, I put my life in my own hands, and passed over against the
children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hands. What have
I deserved, that you should rise up to fight against me?
[4] Then calling to him all the men of Galaad, he fought against
Ephraim: and the men of Galaad defeated Ephraim, because he had said:
Galaad is a fugitive of Ephraim, and dwelleth in the midst of Ephraim
and Manasses. [5] And the Galaadites secured the fords of the Jordan,
by which Ephraim was to return. And when any one of the number of
Ephraim came thither in the flight, and said: I beseech you let me
pass: the Galaadites said to him: Art thou not an Ephraimite? If he
said: I am not: [6] They asked him: Say then, Scibboleth, which is
interpreted, An ear of corn. But he answered, Sibboleth, not being able
to express an ear of corn by the same letter. Then presently they took
him and killed him in the very passage of the Jordan. And there fell at
that time of Ephraim two and forty thousand.
[7] And Jephte the Galaadite judged Israel six years: and he died, and
was buried in his city of Galaad.
[8] After him Abesan of Bethlehem judged Israel: [9] He had thirty
sons, and as many daughters, whom he sent abroad, and gave to husbands,
and took wives for his sons of the same number, bringing them into his
house. And he judged Israel seven years: [10] And he died, and was
buried in Bethlehem.
[11] To him succeeded Ahialon a Zabulonite: and he judged Israel ten
years: [12] And he died, and was buried in Zabulon.
[13] After him Abdon, the son of Illel, a Pharathonite, judged Israel:
[14] And he had forty sons, and of them thirty grandsons, mounted upon
seventy ass colts, and he judged Israel eight years: [15] And he died,
and was buried in Pharathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of
Amalech.
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Chapter 13
- verses
1, 8-23 and 25b have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord:
and he delivered them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.
[8] Then Manue prayed to the Lord, and said:
I beseech thee, O Lord, that the mail of God, whom thou didst send, may
come again, and teach us what we ought to do concerning the child that
shall be born.
[9] And the Lord heard the prayer of Manue, and the angel of the Lord
appeared again to his wife as she was sitting in the field. But Manue
her husband was not with her. And when she saw the angel, [10] She made
haste and ran to her husband: and told him saying:
Behold the man hath appeared to me whom I saw before.
[11] He rose up and followed his wife: and coming to the man, said to
him:
Art thou he that spoke to the woman?
And he answered:
I am.
[12] And Manue said to him:
When thy word shall come to pass, what wilt thou that the child should
do? or from what shall he keep himself?
[13] And the angel of the Lord said to Manue:
From all the things I have spoken of to thy wife, let her refrain
herself: [14] And let her eat nothing that cometh of the vine, neither
let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: and
whatsoever I have commanded her, let her fulfill and observe.
[15] And Manue said to the angel of the Lord:
I beseech thee to consent to my request, and let us dress a kid for
thee.
[16] And the angel answered him:
If thou press me, I will not eat of thy bread: but if thou wilt offer a
holocaust, offer it to the Lord. And Manue knew not it was the angel of
the Lord.
[17] And he said to him:
What is thy name, that, if thy word shall come to pass, we may honour
thee?
[18] And he answered him:
Why askest thou my name, which is wonderful?
[19] Then Manue took a kid of the flocks, and the libations, and put
them upon a rock, offering to the Lord, who doth wonderful things: and
he and his wife looked on. [20] And when the flame from the altar went
up towards heaven, the angel of the lord ascended also in the flame.
And when Manue and his wife saw this, they fell flat on the ground.
[21] And the angel of the Lord appeared to them no more. And forthwith
Manue understood that it was an angel of the Lord, [22] And he said to
his wife:
We shall certainly die, because we have seen God.
[23] And his wife answered him: If the Lord had a mind to kill us, he
would not have received a holocaust and libations at our hands, neither
would he have shewed us all these things, nor have told us the things
that are to come.
[25] ... between Saraa and Esthaol.
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Chapter 14
- verses
1-20 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Then Samson went down to Thamnatlia, and seeing there a woman of
the daughters of the Philistines, [2] He came up, and told his father
and his mother, saying:
I saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philistines: I
beseech you, take her for me to wife. [3] And his father and mother
said to him:
Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my
people, that thou wilt take a wife of the Philistines, who are
uncircumcised?
And Samson said to his father:
Take this woman for me, for she hath pleased my eyes.
[4] Now his parents knew not that the thing was done by the Lord, and
that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time
the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
[5] Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Thamnatha. And
when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion
met him raging and roaring. [6] And the spirit of the Lord came upon
Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces,
having nothing at all in his hand: and he would not tell this to his
father and mother.
[7] And he went down and spoke to the woman that had pleased his eyes.
[8] And after some days returning to take her, he went aside to see the
carcass of the lion, and behold there was a swarm of bees in the mouth
of the lion and a honeycomb. [9] And when be had taken it in his hands,
he went on eating: and coming to his father and mother, he gave them of
it, and they ate: but he would not tell them, that he had taken the
honey from the body of the lion.
[10] So his father went down to the woman, and made a feast for his son
Samson: for so the young men used to do. [11] And when the citizens of
that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.
[12] And Samson said to them:
I will propose to you a riddle, which if you declare unto me within the
seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts, and as many
coats: [13] But if you shall not be able to declare it, you shall give
me thirty shirts and the same number of coats.
They answered him:
Put forth the riddle that we may hear it.
[14] And he said to 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. [15] And when the
seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson:
Soothe thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle
meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy
father's house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip
us?
[16] So she wept before Samson and complained, saying:
Thou hatest me, and dost not love me: therefore thou wilt not expound
to me the riddle which thou hast proposed to the sons of my people.
But he answered:
I would not tell it to my father and mother, and how can I tell it to
thee?
[17] So she wept before him the seven days of the feast: and at length
on the seventh day as she was troublesome to him, he expounded it. And
she immediately told her countrymen. [18] And they on the seventh day
before the sun went down said to him:
What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he
said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found
out my riddle.
[19] And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to
Ascalon, and slew there thirty men, whose garments he took away and
gave to them that had declared the riddle. And being exceeding angry he
went up to his father's house: [20] But his wife took one of his
friends and bridal companions for her husband.
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Chapter 15
- verses
1-20 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And a while after, when the days of the wheat harvest were at hand,
Samson came, meaning to visit his wife, and he brought her a kid of the
flock. And when he would have gone into her chamber as usual, her
father would not suffer him, saying:
[2] I thought thou hadst hated her, and therefore I gave her to thy
friend: but she hath a sister, who is younger and fairer than she, take
her to wife instead of her.
[3] And Samson answered him:
From this day I shall be blameless in what I do against the Philistines:
for I will do you evils. [4] And he went and caught three hundred
foxes, and coupled them tail to tail, and fastened torches between the
tails. [5] And setting them on fire he let the foxes go, that they
might run about hither and thither. And they presently went into the
standing corn of the Philistines. Which being set on fire, both the
corn that was already carried together, and that which was yet
standing, was all burnt, insomuch, that the flame consumed also the
vineyards and the oliveyards.
[6] Then the Philistines said:
Who hath done this thing?
And it was answered:
Samson the son in law of the Thamnathite, because he took away his
wife, and gave her to another, hath done these things.
And the Philistines went up and burnt both the woman and her father.
[7] But Samson said to them:
Although you have done this, yet will I be revenged of you, and then I
will be quiet.
[8] And he made a great slaughter of them, so that in astonishment they
laid the calf of the leg upon the thigh. And going down he dwelt in a
cavern of the rock Etam.
[9] Then the Philistines going up into the land of Juda, camped in the
place which afterwards was called Lechi, that is, the Jawbone, where
their army was spread. [10] And the men of the tribe of Juda said to
them:
Why are you come up against us?
They answered:
We are come to bind Samson, and to pay him for what he hath done
against us.
[11] Wherefore three thousand men of Juda, went down to the cave of the
rock Etam, and said to Samson:
Knowest thou not that the Philistines rule over us? Why wouldst thou do
thus?
And he said to them:
As they did to me, so have I done to them.
[12] And they said to him,
We are come to bind thee and to deliver thee into the hands of the
Philistines.
And Samson said to them:
Swear to me, and promise me, that you will not kill me.
[13] They said:
We will not kill thee: but we will deliver thee up bound.
And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him from the rock
Etam.
[14] Now when he was come to the place of the Jawbone, and the
Philistines shouting went to meet him, the spirit of the Lord came
strongly upon him: and as the flax is wont to be consumed at the
approach of fire, so the bands with which he was bound were broken and
loosed. [15] And finding a jawbone, even the jawbone of an ass which
lay there, catching it up, be slew therewith a thousand men. [16] And
he said:
With the jawbone of an ass, with the jaw of the colt of asses I have
destroyed them, and have slain a thousand men.
[17] And when he had ended these words singing, he threw the jawbone
out of his hand, and called the name of that place Ramathlechi, which
is interpreted the lifting up of the jawbone. [18] Arid being very
thirsty, he cried to the Lord, and said:
Thou hast given this very great deliverance and victory into the hand
of thy servant: and behold I die for thirst, and shall fall into the
hands of the uncircumcised.
[19] Then the Lord opened a great tooth in the jaw of the ass, and
waters issued out of it. And when he had drank them he refreshed his
spirit, and recovered his strength. Therefore the name of that place
was called, The Spring of him that invoked from the jawbone, until this
present day. [20] And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines
twenty years.
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Chapter 16
- verses
1-31 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] He went also into Gaza, and saw there a woman a harlot, and went in
unto her. [2] And when the Philistines had beard this, and it was
noised about among them, that Samson was come into the city, they
surrounded him, setting guards at the gate of the city, and watching
there all the night in silence, that in the morning they might kill him
as he went out.
[3] But Samson slept till midnight, and then rising he took both the
doors of the gate, with the posts thereof, and the bolt, and laying
them on his shoulders, carried them up to the top of the hill, which
looketh towards Hebron.
[4] After this he loved a woman, who dwelt in the valley of Sorec, and
she was called Dalila. [5] And the princes of the Philistines came to
her, and said:
Deceive him, and learn of him wherein his great strength lieth, and how
we may be able to overcome him, to bind and afflict him: which if thou
shalt do, we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of
silver.
[6] And Dalila said to Samson:
Tell me, I beseech thee, wherein thy greatest strength lieth, and what
it is wherewith if thou wert bound thou couldst not break loose.
[7] And Samson answered her:
If I shall be bound with seven cords made of sinews not yet dry, but
still moist, I shall be weak like other men.
[8] And the princes of the Philistines brought unto her seven cords,
such is he spoke of, with which she bound him; [9] Men lying privately
in wait with her, and in the chamber expecting the event of the thing,
and she cried out to him:
The Philistines are upon thee, Samson.
And he broke the bands, as a man would break a thread of tow twined
with spittle, when it smelleth the fire: so it was not known wherein
his strength Jay.
[10] And Dalila said to him:
Behold thou hast mocked me, and hast told me a false thing: but now at
least tell me wherewith thou mayest be bound.
[11] And he answered her:
If I shall be bound with new ropes, that were never in work, I shall be
weak and like other men.
[12] Dalila bound him again with these, and cried out:
The Philistines are upon thee, Samson, there being an ambush prepared
for him in the chamber. But he broke the bands like threads of webs.
[13] And Dalila said to him again:
How long dost thou deceive me, and tell me lies? shew me wherewith thou
mayest be bound. And Samson answered her:
If thou plattest the seven locks of my head with a lace, and tying them
round about a nail fastenest it in the ground, I shall be weak.
[14] And when Dalila had done this, she said to him:
The Philistines are upon thee, Samson.
And awaking out of his sleep he drew out the nail with the hairs and
the lace.
[15] And Dalila said to him:
How dost thou say thou lovest me, when thy mind is not with me? Thou
hast told me lies these three times, and wouldst not tell me wherein
thy great strength lieth.
[16] And when she pressed him much, and continually hung upon him for
many days, giving him no time to rest, his soul fainted away, and was
wearied even until death. [17] Then opening the truth of the thing, he
said to her:
The razor hath never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite, that is to
say, consecrated to God from my mother's womb: if my head be shaven, my
strength shall depart from me, and I shall become weak, and shall be
like other men.
[18] Then seeing that be had discovered to her all his mind, she sent
to the princes of the Philistines, saying:
Come up this once more, for now he hath opened his heart to me.
And they went up taking with them the money which they had promised.
[19] But she made him sleep upon her knees, and lay his head in her
bosom. And she called a barber, and shaved his seven locks, and began
to drive him away, and thrust him from her: for immediately his
strength departed from him. [20] And she said:
The Philistines are upon thee, Samson.
And awaking from sleep, he said in his mind: I will go out as I did
before, and shake myself, not knowing that the Lord was departed from
him.
[21] Then the Philistines seized upon him, and forthwith pulled out his
eyes, and led him bound in chains to Gaza, and shutting him up in
prison made him grind. [22] And now his hair began to grow again.
[23] And the princes of the Philistines assembled together, to offer
great sacrifices to Dagon their god, and to make merry, saying:
Our god hath delivered our enemy Samson into our hands. [24] And the
people also seeing this, praised their god, and said the same: Our god
hath delivered our adversary into our bands, him that destroyed our
country and killed very many.
[25] And rejoicing in their feasts, when they had now taken their good
cheer, they commanded that Samson should be called, and should play
before them.
And being brought out of prison he played before them, and they made
him stand between two pillars.
[26] And he said to the lad that guided his steps: Suffer me to touch
the pillars which support the whole house, and let me lean upon them,
and rest a little.
[27] Now the house was full of men and women, and all the princes of
the Philistines were there. Moreover about three thousand persons of
both sexes from the roof and the higher part of the house, were
beholding Samson's play.
[28] But he called upon the Lord, saying:
O Lord God, remember me, and restore to me now my former strength, O my
God, that I may revenge myself on my enemies, and for the loss of my
two eyes I may take one revenge.
[29] And laying hold on both the pillars on which the house rested, and
holding the one with his right hand, and the other with his left, [30]
He said: Let me die with the Philistines. And when he had strongly
shook the pillars, the house fell upon all the princes, and the rest of
the multitude that was there: and he killed many more at his death,
than he had killed before in his life.
[31] And his brethren and all his kindred, going down took his body,
and buried it between Saraa and Esthaol in the buryingplace of his
father Manue: and he judged Israel twenty years.
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Chapter 17
- verses
1-13 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] There was at that time a man of mount Ephraim whose name was
Michas, [2] Who said to his mother:
The eleven hundred pieces of silver, which thou hadst put aside for
thyself, and concerning which thou didst swear in my hearing, behold I
have, and they are with me.
And she said to him:
Blessed be my son by the Lord.
[3] So he restored them to his mother, who said to him:
I have consecrated and vowed this silver to the Lord, that my son may
receive it at my hand, and make a graven and a molten god, so now I
deliver it to thee.
[4] And he restored them to his mother: and she took two hundred pieces
of silver and gave them to the silversmith, to make of them a graven
and a molten god, which was in the house of Michas.
[5] And he separated also therein a little temple for the god, and made
an ephod, and theraphim, that is to say, a priestly garment, and idols:
and he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.
[6] In those days there was no king in Israel, but every one did that
which seemed right to himself.
[7] There was also another young man of Bethlehem Juda, of the kindred
thereof: and he was a Levite, and dwelt there. [8] Now he went out from
the city of Bethlehem, and desired to sojourn wheresoever he should
find it convenient for him. And when he was come to mount Ephraim, as
he was on his journey, and had turned aside a little into the house of
Michas,
[9] He was asked by him whence he came.
And he answered:
I am a Levite of Bethlehem Juda, and I am going to dwell where I can,
and where I shall find a place to my advantage.
[10] And Michas said: Stay with me, and be unto me a father and a
priest, and I will give thee every year ten pieces of silver, and a
double suit of apparel, and thy victuals.
[11] He was content, and abode with the man, and was unto him as one of
his sons. [12] And Michas filled his hand, and had the young man with
him, for his priest, saying:
[13] Now I know God will do me good, since I have a priest of the race
of the Levites.
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Chapter 18
- verses
1-31 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan
sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not
received their lot among the other tribes.
[2] So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men of their stock
and family from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it
diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on
their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the
house of Michas, and rested there:
[3] And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with
him, they said to him:
Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come
hither?
[4] He answered them:
Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be
his priest.
[5] Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know
whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have
effect.
[6] He answered them:
Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.
[7] So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people
dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the
Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being
very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all
men.
[8] And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked
them
what they had done?
to whom they answered:
[9] Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is
exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and
possess it, there will be no difficulty. [10] We shall come to a people
that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the
place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the
earth.
[11] There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and
Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war, [12] And going
up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is
called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim. [13] From thence
they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of
Michas,
[14] The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais,
said to the rest of their brethren:
You know that in these houses there is an ephod, and theraphim, and a
graven, and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do.
[15] And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house
of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they
saluted him with words of peace. [16] And the six hundred men stood
before the door, appointed with their arms. [17] But they that were
gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the
graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and
the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting
not far off. [18] So they that were gone in took away the graven thing,
the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god. And the priest said to
them:
What are you doing?
[19] And they said to him:
Hold thy peace and put thy finger on thy mouth and come with us, that
we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for
thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family
in Israel?
[20] When he had heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the
ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them. [21]
And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children
and the cattle and all that was valuable, [22] And were now at a
distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of
Michas gathering together followed them, [23] And began to shout out
after them. They looked back, and said to Michas:
What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?
[24] And he answered:
You have taken away my gods which I have made me and the priest, and
all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?
[25] And the children of Dan said to him:
See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou
perish with all thy house.
[26] And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing
that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.
[27] And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke
of before, and came to Lais to a people that was quiet and secure, and
smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city was burnt with
fire, [28] There being no man at all who brought them any succour,
because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with
any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it and
dwelt therein. [29] Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of
their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.
[30] And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the
son of Gersam the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the
tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity. [31] And the idol of
Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in
Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.
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Chapter 19
- verses
1-30 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] There was a certain Levite, who dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim,
who took a wife of Bethlehem Juda: [2] And she left him and returned to
her father's house in Bethlehem, and abode with him four months. [3]
And her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her, and to
speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him, having with him a
servant and two asses: and she received him, and brought him into her
father's house. And when his father in law had heard this, and had seen
him, he met him with joy, [4] And embraced the man. And the son in law
tarried in the house of his father in law three days, eating with him
and drinking familiarly. [5] But on the fourth day arising early in the
morning he desired to depart. But his father in law kept him, and said
to him:
Taste first a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou
shalt depart.
[6] And they sat down together, and ate and drank. And the father of
the young woman said to his son in law:
I beseech thee to stay here today, and let us make merry together.
[7] But he rising up began to be for departing. And nevertheless his
father in law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.
[8] But when morning was come, the Levite prepared to go on his
journey. And his father in law said to him again:
I beseech thee to take a little meat, and strengthening thyself, till
the day be farther advanced, afterwards thou mayest depart. And they
ate together.
[9] And the young man arose to set forward with his wife and servant.
And his father in law spoke to him again:
Consider that the day is declining, and draweth toward evening: tarry
with me today also, and spend the day in mirth, and tomorrow thou shalt
depart, that thou mayest go into thy house. [10] His son in law would
not consent to his words: but forthwith went forward and came over
against Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with
him two asses laden, and his concubine. [11] And now they were come
near Jebus, and the day was far spent: and the servant said to his
master:
Come, I beseech thee, let us turn into the city of the Jebusites, and
lodge there.
[12] His master answered him:
I will not go into the town of another nation, who are not of the
children of Israel, but I will pass over to Gabaa:
[13] And when I shall come thither, we will lodge there, or at least in
the city of Rama.
[14] So they passed by Jebus, and went on their journey, and the sun
went down upon them when they were by Gabaa, which is in the tribe of
Benjamin: [15] And they turned into it, to lodge there. And when they
were come in, they sat in the street of the city, for no man would
receive them to lodge.
[16] And behold they saw an old man, returning out of the field and
from his work in the evening, and he also was of mount Ephraim, and
dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa; but the men of that country were the
children of Jemini.
[17] And the old man lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with his
bundles in the street of the city, and said to him:
Whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?
[18] He answered him:
We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are going to our home, which is
on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went to Bethlehem: and now
we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof:
[19] We have straw and hay for provender of the asses, and bread and
wine for the use of myself and of thy handmaid, and of the servant that
is with me: we want nothing but lodging.
[20] And the old man answered him:
Peace be with thee: I will furnish all things that are necessary: only
I beseech thee, stay not in the street.
[21] And he brought him into his house, and gave provender to his
asses: and after they had washed their feet, he entertained them with a
feast.
[22] While they were making merry, and refreshing their bodies with
meat and drink, after the labour of the journey, the men of that city,
sons of Belial, (that is, without yoke,) came and beset the old man's
house, and began to knock at the door, calling to the master of the
house, and saying:
Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may abuse him.
[23] And the old man went out to them, and said:
Do not so, my brethren, do not so wickedly: because this man is come
into my lodging, and cease I pray you from this folly. [24] I have a
maiden daughter, and this man hath a concubine, I will bring them out
to you, and you may humble them, and satisfy your lust: only, I beseech
you, commit not this crime against nature on the man.
[25] They would not be satisfied with his words; which the man seeing,
brought out his concubine to them, and abandoned her to their
wickedness: and when they had abused her all the night, they let her go
in the morning.
[26] But the woman, at the dawning of the day, came to the door of the
house where her lord lodged, and there fell down.
[27] And in the morning the man arose, and opened the door that he
might end the journey he had begun: and behold his concubine lay before
the door with her hands spread on the threshold. [28] He thinking she
was taking her rest, said to her:
Arise, and let us be going.
But as she made no answer, perceiving she was dead, he took her up, and
laid her upon his ass, and returned to his house.
[29] And when he was come home he took a sword, and divided the dead
body of his wife with her bones into twelve parts, and sent the pieces
into all the borders of Israel.
[30] And when every one had seen this, they all cried out: There was
never such a thing done in Israel from the day that our fathers came up
out of Egypt, until this day: give sentence, and decree in common what
ought to be done.
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Chapter 20
- verses
1-48 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Then all the children of Israel went out and gathered together as
one man from Dan to Bersabee, with the land of Galaad, to the Lord in
Maspha: [2] And all the chiefs of the people, and all the tribes of
Israel met together in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred
thousand footmen fit for war.
[3] (Nor were the children of Benjamin ignorant that the children of
Israel were come up to Maspha.) And the Levite the husband of the woman
that was killed, being asked, how so great a wickedness had been
committed, [4] Answered:
I came into Gabaa of Benjamin with my wife, and there I lodged: [5] And
behold the men of that city in the night beset the house wherein I was,
intending to kill me, and abused my wife with an incredible fury of
lust, so that at last she died. [6] And I took her and cut her in
pieces, and sent the, parts into all the borders of your possession:
because there never was so heinous a crime, and so great an abomination
committed in Israel. [7] You are all here, O children of Israel,
determine what you ought to do.
[8] And all the people standing, answered as by the voice of one man:
We will not return to our tents, neither shall any one of us go into
his own house: [9] But this we will do in common against Gabaa: [10] We
will take ten men of a hundred out of all the tribes of Israel, and a
hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to bring
victuals for the army, that we might fight against Gabaa of Benjamin,
and render to it for its wickedness, what it deserveth.
[11] And all Israel were gathered together against the city, as one
man, with one mind, and one counsel: [12] And they sent messengers to
all the tribe of Benjamin to say to them:
Why hath so great an abomination been found among you? [13] Deliver up
the men of Gabaa, that have committed this heinous crime, that they may
die, and the evil may be taken away out of Israel.
But they would not hearken to the proposition of their brethren the
children of Israel: [14] But out of all the cities which were of their
lot, they gathered themselves together into Gabaa, to aid them, and to
fight against the whole people of Israel. [15] And there were found of
Benjamin five and twenty thousand men that drew the sword, besides the
inhabitants of Gabaa, [16] Who were seven hundred most valiant men,
fighting with the left hand as well as with the right: and slinging
stones so sure that they could hit even a hair, and not miss by the
stone's going on either side.
[17] Of the men of Israel also, beside the children of Benjamin, were
found four hundred thousand that drew swords, and were prepared to
fight. [18] And they arose and came to the house of God, that is, to
Silo: and they consulted God, and said:
Who shall be in our army the first to go to the battle against the
children of Benjamin?
And the Lord answered them:
Let Juda be your leader.
[19] And forthwith the children of Israel rising in the morning, camped
by Gabaa: [20] And going out from thence to fight against Benjamin,
began to assault the city. [21] And the children of Benjamin coming out
of Gabaa, slew of the children of Israel that day two and twenty
thousand men. [22] Again Israel trusting in their strength and their
number, set their army in array in the same place, where they had
fought before:
[23] Yet so that they first went up and wept before the Lord until
night: and consulted him, and said
Shall I go out any more to fight against the children of Benjamin my
brethren, or not?
And he answered them:
Go up against them, and join battle.
[24] And when the children of Israel went out the next day to fight
against the children of Benjamin, [25] The children of Benjamin sallied
forth out of the gates of Gabaa: and meeting them made so great a
slaughter of them, as to kill eighteen thousand men that drew the sword.
[26] Wherefore all the children of Israel came to the house of God, and
sat and wept before the Lord: and they fasted that day till the
evening, and offered to him holocausts, and victims of peace offerings,
[27] And inquired of him concerning their state. At that time the ark
of the covenant of the Lord was there, [28] And Phinees the son of
Eleazar the son of Aaron was over the house. So they consulted the Lord
and said:
Shall we go out any more to fight against the children of Benjamin our
brethren, or shall we cease?
And the Lord said to them:
Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands.
[29] And the children of Israel set ambushes round about the city of
Gabaa: [30] And they drew up their army against Benjamin the third
time, as they had done the first and second.
[31] And the children of Benjamin boldly issued out of the city, and
seeing their enemies flee, pursued them a long way, so as to wound and
kill some of them, as they had done the first and second day, whilst
they fled by two highways, whereof one goeth up to Bethel, and the
other to Gabaa, and they slew about thirty men: [32] For they thought
to cut them off, as they did before.
But they artfully feigning a flight, designed to draw them away from
the city, and by their seeming to flee to bring them to the highways
aforesaid.
[33] Then all the children of Israel rising up out of the places where
they were, set their army in battle array, in the place which is called
Baalthamar. The ambushes also which were about the city, began by
little and little to come forth, [34] And to march from the west side
of the city.
And other ten thousand men chosen out of all Israel attacked the
inhabitants of the city. And the battle grew hot against the children
of Benjamin: and they understood not that present death threatened them
on every side. [35] And the Lord defeated them before the children of
Israel, and they slew of them in that day five and twenty thousand, and
one hundred, all fighting men and that drew the sword.
[36] But the children of Benjamin when they saw themselves to be too
weak, began to flee. Which the children of Israel seeing, gave them
place to flee, that they might come to the ambushes that were prepared,
which they had set near the city. [37] And they that were in ambush
arose on a sudden out of their coverts, and whilst Benjamin turned
their backs to the slayers, went into the city, and smote it with the
edge of the sword.
[38] Now the children of Israel had given a sign to them, whom they had
laid in ambushes, that after they had taken the city, they should make
a fire: that by the smoke rising on high, they might shew that the city
was taken.
[39] And when the children of Israel saw this in the battle (for the
children of Benjamin thought they fled and pursued them vigorously,
killing thirty men of their army) [40] And perceived as it were a
pillar of smoke rise up from the city; and Benjamin looking back, saw
that the city was taken, and that the flames ascended on high: [41]
They that before had made as if they fled, turning their faces stood
bravely against them; which the children of Benjamin seeing, turned
their backs, [42] And began to go towards the way of the desert, the
enemy pursuing them thither also. And they that fired the city came
also out to meet them.
[43] And so it was, that they were slain on both sides by the enemies,
and there was no rest of their men dying. They fell and were beaten
down on the east side of the city Gabaa. [44] And they that were slain
in the same place were eighteen thousand men, all most valiant soldiers.
[45] And when they that remained of Benjamin saw this, they fled into
the wilderness and made towards the rock that is called Remmon. In that
flight, also as they were straggling and going different ways, they
slew of them five thousand men. And as they went farther, they still
pursued them, and slew also other two thousand. [46] And so it came to
pass, that all that were slain of Benjamin in divers places, were five
and twenty thousand fighting men, most valiant for war. [47] And there
remained of all the number of Benjamin only six hundred men that were
able to escape, and flee to the wilderness: and they abode in the rock
Remmon four months.
[48] But the children of Israel returning, put all the remains of the
city to the sword, both men and beasts, and all the cities and villages
of Benjamin were consumed with devouring flames.
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Chapter 21
- verses
1-24 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying:
None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to
wife.
[2] And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before
him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and
weep, saying:
[3] O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy
people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?
[4] And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered
there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
[5] Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with
the army of the Lord?
for they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in
Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.
[6] And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their
brother Benjamin, began to say:
One tribe is taken away from Israel. [7] Whence shall they take wives?
For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
[8] Therefore they said: Who is thereof all the tribes of Israel, that
came not up to the Lord to Maspha.
And behold the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad were found not to have been
in that army. [9] (At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of
them was found there.) [10] So they sent ten thousand of the most
valiant men, and commanded them, saying:
Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their
wives and their children. [11] And this is what you shall observe:
Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the
virgins you shall save.
[12] And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that
had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp Silo,
into the land of Chanaan. [13] And they sent messengers to the children
of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to
receive them in peace. [14] And the children of Benjamin came at that
time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but
they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.
[15] And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of
one tribe out of Israel. [16] And the ancients said:
What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all
the women in Benjamin are dead. [17] And we must use all care, and
provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of
Israel. [18] For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being
bound with an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that
shall give Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.
[19] So they took counsel, and said:
Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is
situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the
way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of
Lebona.
[20] And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said:
Go, and lie hid in the vineyards, [21] And when you shall see the
daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a
sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among
them, and go into the land of Benjamin. [22] And when their fathers and
their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and
to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not
away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have
them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.
[23] And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and
according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man
his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession
and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.
[24] The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and
families, to their dwellings. In those days there was no king in
Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
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Texts Researched and Digitally
Processed by
Mrs. R.M., Puerto Rico
Published on September 9th, 2014
Format improved in July 2022
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