The Judges & Ruth

Then that thing that commeth out of the doores of mine house to meete me, when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon, shall be the Lordes, and I will offer it for a burnt offering.

And so Iphtah went vnto the children of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord deliuered them into his handes.

And he smote them from Aroer euen till thou come to Minnith, twentie cities, and so foorth to Abel of the vineyardes, with an exceeding great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Israel.

Nowe when Iphtah came to Mizpeh vnto his house, beholde, his daughter came out to meete him with timbrels and daunces, which was his onely childe: he had none other sonne, nor daughter.

And when hee sawe her, hee rent his clothes, and saide, Alas my daughter, thou hast brought me lowe, and art of them that trouble me: for I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lord, and can not goe backe.

And she said vnto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth vnto the Lord, doe with me as thou hast promised, seeing that the Lord hath auenged thee of thine enemies the children of Ammon.

Also she saide vnto her father, Doe thus much for me: suffer me two moneths, that I may goe to the mountaines, and bewaile my virginitie, I and my fellowes.

And he sayde, Goe: and he sent her away two moneths: so she went with her companions, and lamented her virginitie vpon the moutaines.

And after the ende of two moneths, she turned againe vnto her father, who did with her according to his vowe which he had vowed, and she had knowen no man. and it was a custome in Israel:

The daughters of Israel went yere by yere to lament the daughter of Iphtah the Gileadite, foure dayes in a yeere.

And the me of Ephraim gathered themselues together, and went Northwarde, and saide vnto Iphtah, Wherefore wentest thou to fight against the children of Ammon, and diddest not call vs to goe with thee? we will therefore burne thine house vpon thee with fire.

And Iphtah said vnto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon, and when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of their handes.

So when I sawe that ye deliuered me not, I put my life in mine hands, and went vpon the children of Ammon: so the Lord deliuered them into mine handes. Wherefore then are ye come vpon me nowe to fight against me?

Then Iphtah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are runnagates of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

Also the Gileadites tooke the passages of Iorden before the Ephraimites, and when the Ephraimites that were escaped, saide, Let me passe, then the men of Gilead said vnto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay,

Then said they vnto him, Say nowe Shibboleth: and he said, Sibboleth: for he could not so pronounce: then they tooke him, and slewe him at the passages of Iorden: and there fel at that time of the Ephraimites two and fourtie thousand.

And Iphtah iudged Israel sixe yeere: then dyed Iphtah the Gileadite, and was buryed in one of the cities of Gilead.

After him Ibzan of Beth-lehem iudged Israel,

Who had thirtie sonnes and thirtie daughters, which he sent out, and tooke in thirtie daughters from abroade for his sonnes. and he iudged Israel seuen yeere.

Then Ibzan died, and was buryed at Bethlehem.

And after him iudged Israel Elon, a Zebulonite, and he iudged Israel tenne yeere.

Then Elon the Zebulonite dyed, and was buryed in Aijalon in the countrey of Zebulun.

And after him Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite iudged Israel.

And he had fourty sonnes and thirtie nephewes that rode on seuentie assecoltes: and he iudged Israel eight yeeres.

Then dyed Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite, and was buryed in Pirathon, in ye lande of Ephraim, in the Mount of the Amalekites.