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and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. Then they built the city, and dwelt therein. And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel; howbeit the name of the city aforetime was Laish. And the children of Dan set up the graven image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.

And the lot of the children of Zebulun went from Sarid westward to the river before Jokneam, and eastward to Chisloth-tabor, and northward to Hannathon and the valley of Iphtah-el. And Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol, but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.

And the lot of Issachar was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, aud En-gannim (Fountain of Gardens). And its boundaries reached to Tabor, and the outgoings of its border were at Jordan.

And the border of the lot of the tribe of the children of Asher is Carmel on the southwest, and toward the east it reacheth to Zebulun, and the valley of Iphtah-el ; then it goeth out past Cabul on the left hand, and Ebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, unto great Zidon; and it turneth to Ramah, and the fortress of Tyre; and it turneth to Hosah, and the outgoings thereof are at the Mediterranean Sea, from Hebel to Achzib. But Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob. But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, and did not dispossess them,

MINGLING WITH THE HEATHEN. 163

And the lot of the children of Naphtali reached to Zebulun and to Issachar on the south side, and to Asher on the west side, and the outgoings thereof were at the Jordan. And among their fenced cities were Chinnereth, and Hazor, and Kedesh, and Beth-anath (House of Anat), and Beth-shemesh (House of the Sun). But Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless afterward the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them: five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon unto the territory of Hamath. And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites. And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons. And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served the gods and goddesses of the nations among whom they dwelt, and bowed themselves down unto them and forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not stand before their enemies.

CHAPTER XVIII.

JUDGES, iii., xvii.

THE AGE OF ANARCHY-I.

EHUD, THE BENJAMITE.

And the chil

In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes. dren of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah. And Jehovah strengthened Eglon (Bullock) the king of Moab. against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of Jehovah. And Eglon gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and took Jericho, the city of palm-trees. And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. But when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, he raised them up a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man.

Now the children of Israel sent tribute by the hand of Ehud unto Eglon the king of Moab. And Ehud made him a short, two-edged dagger, and girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh. And he brought the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab. And it came to pass after he had presented the tribute, he sent away the people that bare it; but he himself turned back after he had reached the outposts, saying: I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. Then the king commanded privacy; and all that stood by him went out from him. And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself

REVOLT AGAINST MOAB.

165

alone in his upper chamber of cooling. And Ehud said: I have a word from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. Now Eglon was a very fat man. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, and he drew not the dagger out of his belly. Then Ehud went forth, and shut the doors of the upper chamber behind him, and locked them. When he was gone out, Eglon's servants came, and looked, and, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked. And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper chamber. Then they took the key, and opened them; and, behold, their lord lay on the ground dead.

And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the outposts, and escaped to the mountains. And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. And he said to the children of Israel: Follow after me; for Jehovah hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man. So Moab was humbled that day under the hand of Israel; and the land had rest.

CHAPTER XIX.

JUDGES, iv., v.

THE AGE OF ANARCHY-II.

THE STORY OF DEBORAH.

Now the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah sold them into the hand of Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. And the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah.

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak son of Abinoam out of Kedesh of Naphtali, and said to him Hath not Jehovah, the God of Israel, commanded, saying, Go march to mount Tabor, taking with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will bring out against thee to the river Kishon Sisera, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said to her: If thou wilt go with me, I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go. And she said: I will surely go with thee; only the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor, if Jehovah sell Sisera into the hand of

a woman.

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