WEBVTT

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Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're

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taking this journey together to read the Bible

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in a year. Today's reading is from Judges 8 -10.

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Chapter 8 Now the men of Ephraim said to him,

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Why have you done this to us by not calling us

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when you went to fight with the Midianites? And

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they reprimanded him sharply. So he said to them,

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What have I done now in comparison with you?

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Is not the cleaning of the grapes of Ephraim

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better than the vintage of Abiezar? God has delivered

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into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and

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Zeb, and what was I able to do in comparison

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with you? Then their anger toward him subsided

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when he said that. When Gideon came to the Jordan,

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he and the three hundred men who were with him

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crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit.

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Then he said to the men of Sukkoth, Please give

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loaves of bread to the people who follow me,

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for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zeba

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and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the leaders

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of Sukkoth said, Are the hands of Ziba and Zalmunna

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now in your hand, that we should give bread to

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your army? So Gideon said, For this cause, when

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the Lord has delivered Ziba and Zalmunna into

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my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the

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thorns of the wilderness and with briars. Then

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he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to

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them in the same way. And the men of Penuel answered

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him as the men of Sukkoth had answered. So he

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also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, When

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I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower.

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Now Zeba and Zalmunna were at Karkor, and their

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armies with them, about 15 ,000, all who were

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left of the army of the people of the east, for

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120 ,000 men who drew the sword had fallen. Then

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Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell

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in tents, on the east of Noba and Jugbeha, and

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he attacked the army while the camp felt secure.

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When Zeba and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them,

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and he took the two kings of Midian, Zeba and

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Zalmunna, and routed the whole army. Then Gideon

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the son of Joash returned from battle, from the

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ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of

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the men of Sukkoth and interrogated him. And

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he wrote down for him the leaders of Sukkoth

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and its elders, seventy -seven men. Then he came

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to the men of Sukkoth and said, Here are Zeba

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and Zalmunna, about whom you ridiculed me, saying,

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Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna now in your

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hand, that we should give bread to your weary

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men? And he took the elders of the city and the

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thorns of the wilderness and briars, and with

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them he taught the men of Sukkoth. Then he tore

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down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of

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the city. And he said to Zeba and Zalmunna, What

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kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?

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So they answered, As you are, so were they. Each

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one resembled the son of a king. Then he said,

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They were my brothers, the sons of my mother.

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As the Lord lives, if you had let them live,

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I would not kill you. And he said to Jezer, his

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firstborn, Rise, kill them. But the youth would

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not draw his sword, for he was afraid because

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he was still a youth. So Ziba and Zalmunna said,

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Rise yourself and kill us, for as a man is, so

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is his strength. So Gideon arose and killed Ziba

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and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments

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that were on their camels' necks. Then the men

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of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, both

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you and your son, and your grandson also, for

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you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.

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But Gideon said to them, I will not rule over

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you, nor shall my son rule over you. The Lord

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shall rule over you. Then Gideon said to them,

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I would like to make a request of you, that each

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of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.

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For they had golden earrings, because they were

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Ishmaelites. So they answered, We will gladly

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give them. And they spread out a garment, and

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each man threw into it the earrings from his

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plunder. Now the weight of the gold earrings

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that he requested was one thousand seven hundred

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shekels of gold. besides the crescent ornaments,

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pendants, and purple robes which were on the

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kings of Midian, and besides the chains that

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were around their camels' necks. Then Gideon

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made it into an ephod, and set it up in his city,

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Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with

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it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to

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his house. Thus Midian was subdued before the

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children of Israel, so that they lifted their

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heads no more. And the country was quiet for

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forty years in the days of Gideon. Then Jeroboam

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the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

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Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring,

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for he had many wives. And his concubine who

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was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name

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he called Abimelech. Now Gideon the son of Joash

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died at a good old age, and was buried in the

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tomb of Joash his father in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

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So it was as soon as Gideon was dead that the

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children of Israel again played the harlot with

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the Baals and made Baal their god. Thus the children

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of Israel did not remember the Lord their God,

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who had delivered them from the hands of all

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their enemies on every side, nor did they show

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kindness to the house of Jeroboam, Gideon, in

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accordance with the good he had done for Israel.

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Chapter 9 Then Abimelech the son of Jeroboam

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went to Shechem, to his mother's brothers, and

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spoke with them and with all the family of the

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house of his mother's father, saying, Please

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speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem.

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Which is better for you, that all seventy of

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the sons of Jeroboam reign over you, or that

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one reign over you? Remember that I am your own

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flesh and bone. And his mother's brothers spoke

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all these words concerning him in the hearing

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of all the men of Shechem. And their heart was

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inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said,

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He is our brother. So they gave him seventy shekels

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of silver from the temple of Baal -Berith, with

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which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless

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men, and they followed him. Then he went to his

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father's house at Uphra and killed his brothers,

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the seventy sons of Jeroboam, on one stone. But

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Jotham, the youngest son of Jeroboam, was left,

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because he hid himself. And all the men of Shechem

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gathered together, all of Beit Milo, and they

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went and made Abimelech king beside the turbaned

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tree at the pillar that was in Shechem. Now when

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they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of

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Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried

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out. And he said to them, Listen to me, you men

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of Shechem. that god may listen to you the trees

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once went forth to anoint the king over them

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and they said to the olive tree reign over us

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but the olive tree said to them should i cease

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giving my oil with which they honor god and men

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and go to sway over trees then the trees said

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to the fig tree you come and reign over us but

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the fig tree said to them should i cease my sweetness

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and my good fruit and go to sway over trees Then

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the trees said to the vine, You come and reign

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over us. But the vine said to them, Should I

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cease my new wine, which cheers both God and

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men, and go to sway over trees? Then all the

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trees said to the bramble, You come and reign

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over us. And the bramble said to the trees, If

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in truth you anoint me as king over you, then

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come and take shelter in my shade. But if not,

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let fire come out of the bramble and devour the

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cedars of Lebanon. Now therefore, if you have

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acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech

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king, and if you have dealt well with Jeroboam

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and his house, and have done to him as he deserves,

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for my father fought for you, risked his life,

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and delivered you out of the hand of Midian,

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but you have risen up against my father's house

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this day and killed his seventy sons on one stone,

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and made Abimelech the son of his female servant

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king over the men of Shechem, because he is your

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brother. If then you have acted in truth and

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sincerity with Jeroboam and with his house this

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day, then rejoice in Abimelech and let him also

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rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come from

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Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beit

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Milo, and let fire come from the men of Shechem

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and from Beit Milo and devour Abimelech. And

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Jotham ran away and fled, and he went to Bir

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and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

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After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three

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years, God sent a spirit of ill will between

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Abimelech and the men of Shechem. And the men

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of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

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that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jeroboam

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might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech

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their brother. who killed them, and on the men

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of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his

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brothers. And the men of Shechem set men in ambush

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against him on the tops of the mountains, and

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they robbed all who passed by them along that

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way, and it was told Abimelech. Now Gael the

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son of Abed came with his brothers and went over

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to Shechem, and the men of Shechem put their

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confidence in him. So they went out into the

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fields, and gathered grapes from their vineyards,

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and trod them, and made merry. And they went

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into the house of their god, and ate and drank,

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and cursed Abimelech. Then Gael the son of Abed

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said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that

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we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jeroboam,

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and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of

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Hamor the father of Shechem. But why should we

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serve him, if only these people were under my

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authority? Then I would remove Abimelech. So

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he said to Abimelech, increase your army and

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come out. When Zebul, the ruler of the city,

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heard the words of Gael, the son of Abed, his

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anger was aroused. And he sent messengers to

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Abimelech secretly, saying, Take note, Gael,

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the son of Abed, and his brothers have come to

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Shechem. And here they are, fortifying the city

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against you. Now therefore get up by night, you

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and the people who are with you, and lie in wait

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in the field. And it shall be as soon as the

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sun is up in the morning, that you shall rise

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early and rush upon the city. And when he and

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the people who are with him come out against

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you, you may then do to them as you find opportunity.

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So Abimelech and all the people who were with

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him rose by night and lay in wait against Shechem

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in four companies. When Gael the son of Abed

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went out and stood in the entrance to the city

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gate, Abimelech and the people who were with

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him rose from lying in wait. And when Gael saw

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the people, he said to Zebul, Look, people are

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coming down from the tops of the mountains. But

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Zebul said to him, You see the shadows of the

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mountains as if they were men. So Gael spoke

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again and said, See, people are coming down from

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the center of the land, and another company is

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coming from the diviner's turban's tree. Then

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Zebul said to him, Where indeed is your mouth

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now, with which you said, Who is Abimelech that

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we should serve him? Are not these people whom

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you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight

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with them now. So Gael went out, leading the

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men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And

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Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him. and

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many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the

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gate. Then Abimelech dwelt at Aruma, and Zebul

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drove out Gael and his brothers, so that they

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would not dwell in Shechem. And it came about

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on the next day that the people went out into

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the field, and they told Abimelech. So he took

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his people, divided them into three companies,

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and lay in wait in the field. And he looked,

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and there were the people, coming out of the

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city, and he rose against them and attacked them.

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Then Abimelech and the company that was with

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him rushed forward and stood at the entrance

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of the gate of the city. And the other two companies

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rushed upon all who were in the fields and killed

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them. So Abimelech fought against the city all

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that day. He took the city and killed the people

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who were in it, and he demolished the city and

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sowed it with salt. Now when all the men of the

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tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered

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the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.

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And it was told Abimelech that all the men of

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the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

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Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and

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all the people who were with him. And Abimelech

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took an axe in his hand and cut down a bough

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from the trees, and took it and laid it on his

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shoulder. Then he said to the people who were

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with him, What you have seen me do, make haste

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and do as I have done. So each of the people

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likewise cut down his own bough and followed

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Abimelech, put them against the stronghold, and

00:11:21.850 --> 00:11:24.450
set the stronghold on fire above them, so that

00:11:24.450 --> 00:11:26.330
all the people of the tower of Shechem died,

00:11:26.549 --> 00:11:29.289
about a thousand men and women. Then Abi Malik

00:11:29.289 --> 00:11:31.830
went to Tebets, and he encamped against Tebets

00:11:31.830 --> 00:11:34.409
and took it. But there was a strong tower in

00:11:34.409 --> 00:11:36.470
the city, and all the men and women, all the

00:11:36.470 --> 00:11:38.710
people of the city, fled there and shut themselves

00:11:38.710 --> 00:11:41.269
in. Then they went up to the top of the tower.

00:11:41.490 --> 00:11:44.269
So Abi Malik came as far as the tower and fought

00:11:44.269 --> 00:11:46.470
against it, and he drew near the door of the

00:11:46.470 --> 00:11:49.090
tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman

00:11:49.090 --> 00:11:51.929
dropped an upper millstone on Abi Malik's head

00:11:51.929 --> 00:11:54.269
and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly

00:11:54.269 --> 00:11:56.610
to the young man, his armor -bearer, and said

00:11:56.610 --> 00:11:59.490
to him, Draw your sword and kill me, lest men

00:11:59.490 --> 00:12:02.409
say of me a woman killed him. So his young man

00:12:02.409 --> 00:12:05.289
thrust him through, and he died. And when the

00:12:05.289 --> 00:12:07.230
men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they

00:12:07.230 --> 00:12:10.909
departed, every man to his place. Thus God repaid

00:12:10.909 --> 00:12:13.149
the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done

00:12:13.149 --> 00:12:15.269
to his father by killing his seventy brothers.

00:12:15.629 --> 00:12:18.230
And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned

00:12:18.230 --> 00:12:20.929
on their own heads, and on them came the curse

00:12:20.929 --> 00:12:25.920
of Jotham the son of Jeroboam. Chapter 10 After

00:12:25.920 --> 00:12:29.000
Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the

00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:32.379
son of Pua, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar,

00:12:32.379 --> 00:12:35.000
and he dwelt in Shamir in the mountains of Ephraim.

00:12:35.019 --> 00:12:38.580
He judged Israel 23 years, and he died and was

00:12:38.580 --> 00:12:42.159
buried in Shamir. After him arose Jair a Gileadite,

00:12:42.279 --> 00:12:45.879
and he judged Israel 22 years. Now he had 30

00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:49.360
sons who rode on 30 donkeys. They also had 30

00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:52.740
towns, which are called Havos Jair to this day.

00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:55.639
which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died,

00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:58.519
and was buried in Camon. Then the children of

00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:00.500
Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord,

00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:02.940
and served the Baals and the Ashtarothes, the

00:13:02.940 --> 00:13:05.600
gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of

00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.240
Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the

00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.539
gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the

00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:12.879
Lord, and did not serve him. So the anger of

00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:15.080
the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold

00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:17.200
them into the hands of the Philistines, and into

00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:19.850
the hands of the people of Ammon. From that year,

00:13:20.009 --> 00:13:22.190
they harassed and oppressed the children of Israel

00:13:22.190 --> 00:13:25.370
for 18 years. All the children of Israel were

00:13:25.370 --> 00:13:27.350
on the other side of the Jordan in the land of

00:13:27.350 --> 00:13:30.210
the Amorites in Gilead. Moreover, the people

00:13:30.210 --> 00:13:32.570
of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against

00:13:32.570 --> 00:13:35.149
Judah also, against Benjamin, and against the

00:13:35.149 --> 00:13:37.250
house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely

00:13:37.250 --> 00:13:39.669
distressed. And the children of Israel cried

00:13:39.669 --> 00:13:41.929
out to the Lord, saying, We have sinned against

00:13:41.929 --> 00:13:44.830
you, because we have forsaken our God and served

00:13:44.830 --> 00:13:47.230
the Baals. So the Lord said to the children of

00:13:47.230 --> 00:13:49.309
Israel, Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians

00:13:49.309 --> 00:13:51.549
and from the Amorites and from the people of

00:13:51.549 --> 00:13:54.590
Ammon and from the Philistines? Also the Sidonians

00:13:54.590 --> 00:13:57.129
and the Amalekites and Manoites oppressed you,

00:13:57.190 --> 00:13:59.429
and you cried out to me, and I delivered you

00:13:59.429 --> 00:14:01.809
from their hand. Yet you have forsaken me and

00:14:01.809 --> 00:14:04.409
served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you

00:14:04.409 --> 00:14:07.230
no more. Go and cry out to the gods which you

00:14:07.230 --> 00:14:09.730
have chosen. Let them deliver you in your time

00:14:09.730 --> 00:14:12.049
of distress. And the children of Israel said

00:14:12.049 --> 00:14:14.570
to the Lord, We have sinned. Do to us whatever

00:14:14.570 --> 00:14:17.169
seems best to you. Only deliver us this day,

00:14:17.309 --> 00:14:20.110
we pray. So they put away the foreign gods from

00:14:20.110 --> 00:14:22.389
among them and served the Lord, and his soul

00:14:22.389 --> 00:14:24.549
could no longer endure the misery of Israel.

00:14:24.830 --> 00:14:26.889
Then the people of Ammon gathered together and

00:14:26.889 --> 00:14:29.429
encamped in Gilead, and the children of Israel

00:14:29.429 --> 00:14:32.190
assembled together and encamped in Mizpah. And

00:14:32.190 --> 00:14:34.450
the people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one

00:14:34.450 --> 00:14:36.690
another, Who is the man who will begin the fight

00:14:36.690 --> 00:14:39.149
against the people of Ammon? He shall be head

00:14:39.149 --> 00:14:46.960
over all the inhabitants of Gilead. I hope you

00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:49.240
enjoyed today's reading as much as I did and

00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:51.179
I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow to

00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:53.440
continue on our journey. God bless you and have

00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:53.980
a great day.