God

Gid'on replied, "They were my brothers, my mother's sons. As surely as ADONAI is alive, I swear that if you had spared them, I would not kill you."

Gid'on replied, "Neither I nor my son will rule over you; ADONAI will rule over you."

They forgot ADONAI their God, who had saved them from the power of all their enemies on every side;

When they told this to Yotam, he went and stood on top of Mount G'rizim and shouted, "Listen to me, you leaders of Sh'khem; then God will listen to you!

But the olive tree replied, 'Am I supposed to leave my oil, which is used to honor both God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

But the grapevine replied, 'Am I supposed to leave my wine, which gives cheer to God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

But God sent a spirit of discord between Avimelekh and the men of Sh'khem, so that the men of Sh'khem dealt treacherously with Avimelekh.

If I were in control of this people, I'd get rid of Avimelekh!" Then, addressing his words to Avimelekh, he said, "Come out and fight! I don't care if you make your army even larger!"

This is how God paid back Avimelekh for the wrong he did to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.

God also repaid the men of Sh'khem for all the wrong they had done; on them came the curse of Yotam the son of Yeruba'al.

Again the people of Isra'el did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective - they served the ba'alim, the 'ashtarot, the gods of Aram, the gods of Tzidon, the gods of Mo'av, the gods of the people of 'Amon and the gods of the P'lishtim. They abandoned ADONAI and did not serve him;

so the anger of ADONAI blazed against Isra'el, and he handed them over to the P'lishtim and the people of 'Amon.

Then the people of Isra'el cried to ADONAI, "We have sinned against you by forsaking our God and serving the ba'alim."

ADONAI said to the people of Isra'el, "I saved you from the Egyptians, the Emorim, the people of 'Amon, and the P'lishtim, didn't I?

Likewise, when the people of Tzidon, 'Amalek and Ma'on oppressed you, you cried out to me; and I rescued you from their power.

Yet you abandoned me and served other gods; therefore I will not rescue you any more.

The people of Isra'el said to ADONAI, "We have sinned! Treat us in whatever way seems good to you, but save us today, please!"

They got rid of their foreign gods and served ADONAI, and he became troubled by Isra'el's misery.

Yiftach answered them, "If you bring me back home to fight the army of 'Amon, and ADONAI defeats them for me, I will be your head."

The leaders of Gil'ad said to Yiftach, "ADONAI is witness that we promise to do what you have said."

Then Yiftach went with the leaders of Gil'ad, and the people made him head and chief over them. Yiftach repeated all these conditions at Mitzpah in the presence of ADONAI.

ADONAI the God of Isra'el handed Sichon and all his people over to Isra'el, and they killed them. Thus Isra'el possessed all the territory of the Emori who lived there.

So now that ADONAI the God of Isra'el has expelled the Emori before his people Isra'el, do you think that you will expel us?

You should just keep the territory your god K'mosh has given you; while we, for our part, will hold onto whatever ADONAI our God has given us of the lands that belonged to others before us.

No, I have done you no wrong. But you are doing me wrong to war against me. May ADONAI the Judge be judge today between the people of Isra'el and the people of 'Amon.'"