Chapter 7 "Judges"
"Judges"
Ehud
After Moses and Joshua, there was no other leader who could be compared with them in the nation of Israel. Since then, the nation of Israel has entered the period of judges.Moses and Joshua were the common leaders of the whole nation, and the judges were the regional leaders. They were the commanders of the masses during wars and the judges in charge of civil affairs in peacetime.
During the long period of judges, due to the lack of a strong unified leader, there were constant disputes and disputes between the various clans in Israel. They fought for boundaries and power; on the other hand, the external threats of the Israelites still existed, according to the According to the saying, in order to test the descendants of the various tribes of Israel, God Hehua deliberately left the five leaders of the Philistines and all the Canaanites, Sidonians, etc. in and around their land, making them Israel Man "a thorn in the side".
The Canaanites who had been defeated by the Israelites waited for an opportunity to make a comeback, and the city-states such as Narusalem, Gaza, and Evanlon that had not yet been conquered by the Israelites, as well as other ethnic groups living in mountains and plains, threatened the Israelites all the time. Survive.The clans of Israel seemed to be a group of isolated islands scattered in the vast sea of Canaanites, being eroded and impacted by the surrounding ocean.
The Israelites are people from the desert. They settled later and their civilization was not as developed as the Canaanites. After settling in Canaan, they learned to cultivate the land from the Canaanites and also learned to worship various agricultural protection gods, such as Ba Force, Ashtoreth, and other local gods.
They are the gods who specialize in good weather, good crops, avoiding disasters and eliminating disasters. The Israelites gradually worshiped these gods.
The Israelites also intermarried with the natives, taking their daughters as wives, and giving them their own daughters as wives.
Yahweh, the God of Israel, was very angry when he saw this situation, and he decided to punish these rebellious people.The LORD sent an angel among the people and said to them, "I brought you up from Egypt and brought you to the land I promised to your ancestors. I want you to never break my covenant with you, nor can you The inhabitants of the land made a covenant to tear down their altars. You have not obeyed my words. Therefore I will punish you, and I will not drive out the people of this land before you; they will be a thorn in your side; their gods shall be a snare to you."
It didn't take long for all the clans of Israel to fall under the oppression of the Canaanites one by one. They groaned in pain under the heavy yoke of the enemy, and they pitifully repented to the Lord, begging His forgiveness and salvation.Yahweh is strict, but magnanimous; he keeps producing heroes among the Israelites—judges, and rescues them from Qinghai time and time again.A total of 12 judges appeared around the time of the Israeli Martyrs.
The first judge was Othniel of the tribe of Judah.At that time, the various clans of Israel living in the southern part of Canaan were conquered by Mesopotamian (Mesopotamian) king Zhanshan Lizatian and lived in slavery for 8 years.Othniel led the enslaved Israelites to fight bloody battles, defeated the colonial army of Gushanli Satian, and liberated their compatriots.Othniel later served as the judge of Israel, and the country was peaceful and the people were safe within 40 years.
After the death of Othniel, King Evanron of Moab, together with the Ammonites and Amalekites, seized the land of the Israelites, forced the Israelites to pay taxes and tribute, and served them for 18 years.The Israelites were overwhelmed and begged the Lord, and God gave them the Yidi of the tribe of Benjamin, and let him take on the heavy responsibility of saving Israel.
Ehud was left-handed. He carried a batch of daggers 1 cubit long and hid them in the trouser leg of his right leg.Ehud goes to Eglon with a tribute gift.Eglon's attendants searched his body, fearing that he might hide a murder weapon, but they did not search his right leg, because usually no one wears a sword or other weapon on the right leg.
Surrounded by attendants and ladies-in-waiting, the fat Eglon lolled on the throne.
After Ehud finished offering the gift, he said to Eglon, "Your Majesty, ask your left and right to stay away, because I have an important secret to tell you personally."
Eglon believed it was true, so he nodded and told his left and right: "Stand back!"
The guards retreated one after another, leaving Ehud and Eglon alone in the hall.Ehud knelt before Eglon, as if to whisper an important secret to him.It was too late to say it, but it was so fast, Ehud drew his sword and pierced Eglon's chest with lightning speed.Before Eglon could cry out, his fat body fell on the stone floor, bleeding profusely.Ehud bolted the door from the inside, turned and slipped away from behind.
One of the servants saw Ehud coming out and asked him, "Where is the king?"
Ehud replied, "I have finished talking with him, and he is upstairs defecating."
Eglon's attendants waited patiently outside for the tower door to open.After waiting for a long time, the door of the building still did not open, so they became suspicious.They knocked at the door, but it would not open; when they pried it open, Eglon was dead on the ground.They immediately organized a team to hunt down the murderer, but Ehud had already returned to the Israelites.
Ehud blew the trumpet of rebellion against the Israelites from Mount Ephraim, and a large number of Israelites gathered around him and followed him down the mountain.Within a few days, the Israelites in the entire southern part of Canaan were moved by the news, and the Moabites who had been beaten without a leader fled.Ehud also sent men to guard the fords of the Jordan River, where they stopped the fleeing enemies.After bloody fighting, the Israelites wiped out nearly 10,000 Moabites and were liberated.Ehud served as Israel's judge for 80 years, and he asked the country to be safe. (Judges 2-3) Female Jie Deborah
After Sihut died, the Israelites did what God hated again.God punished them by handing them over to King Jabin of Hazor.King Hazor had a strong army, with 900 chariots, and the brave general Sisera as his commander.They brutally oppressed the Israelites for 20 years.
The Israelites cried out to the LORD in pain, and the LORD gave birth to a heroine in Israel named Deborah.In the beginning, Deborah was a poet.She lived on Mount Ephraim, by the road between Rama and Bethel.She received people from all over Israel under a tall palm tree, giving them advice, foretelling their future, and mediating disputes between clans, families, and individuals.Gradually she established a high prestige among the Israelites, and all the people believed that the Lord heard through Deborah that there was a young man named Barak in Kedesh in Naphtali, who was wise and brave, and was A rare general among Israelis today.She sent someone to invite him, and said to him: "God will deliver the enemy into your hands, and you will become a hero to save the nation of Israel. You lead ten thousand people from Naphtali and Zebulun to Mount Tabor, and I The chariot and the whole army of Sisera, the general of Jabin, will be surrounded by you."
Barak, inexperienced and lacking in confidence, replied, "If you will go with me, I will go; if you will not go with me, I will not go."
Under the circumstances at that time, only the presence of the female prophet Deborah could make this war have religious significance, become a holy war, and be able to call on the masses.Considering this factor, Deborah agreed to Barak's request. She said: "I can go with you, but if I go out, you will not get such a high honor, because the Lord took all the Canaanites." The soldier Sisera was delivered into the hands of a woman, not into yours."
So Deborah recruited soldiers from Zebulun and Naphtali.10,000 people responded to the call and joined the rebel army.
The rebels gathered on Mount Tabor, waiting for an opportunity to act.When Jabin heard the news, he sent Sisera to lead Xiasuo Kingdom's 900 chariot convoy and all the elite troops to suppress it.The brigade was mighty and mighty, and drove to the Kishun River Valley, with 900 chariots walking in the forefront.
Deborah encouraged Barak and said: "Go forward, Barak! God bless you, victory is at hand." Sure enough, God blessed Barak, and it rained heavily in those days, and the Kishon Valley turned into a swamp.As soon as the battle started, Sisera's chariots were stuck in the mud, and his horses slipped and fell, causing the Canaanite army to panic.Barak led the rebel army in hot pursuit, and pursued them all the way to the Gentile Sharossheth, which was the stronghold of King Shasuo.
Sisera's army was wiped out, and Sisera himself jumped out of his chariot halfway and fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite.Because King Jabin of Hazor was a family friend with Heberia, Sisera wanted to take refuge here.Yayi saw that Officer Xia Suo, who had fled in embarrassment from a distance, was a good friend of her husband's, and the general's demeanor in the past had long since disappeared.Seeing that careless look, Jayi hardly laughed out loud.She greeted him and comforted Sisera, saying, "Sir, come in and sit down. Don't be afraid."
Sisera didn't care about humility, so he got into the tent.Jael hid him behind a curtain and covered him with a blanket.Sisera was still in shock and felt thirsty, so he said to Jael, "I'm thirsty, please give me some water to drink."
Jayi opened the leather bag and poured a bowl of milk for him to drink.While drinking, he said, "Please stand at the gate and take a look. If someone comes to you and asks: Is anyone here? You can say: No." Sisera was so tired that he hid under the blanket and did not know Before I knew it, I fell asleep.Little did Sisera know that Jael was a Kenite, a descendant of Hobab, Moses' brother-in-law, so they were related to the Israelites.Under the rule of King Xiasuo, although the Jinites had a higher status than the Israelites, they also hated alien rule.
Jael heard the thunderous snoring, and threw down the blanket to see that Sisera was already sleeping like a dead person, she pushed him, but there was no reaction at all.Then Jael picked up a hammer and a wooden stick, walked quietly to him, and drove the wooden stick into his temple.Pout nailed his head through and stuck it in the ground.Sisera thus died at the hands of a woman.
Then the men of Baral came and searched for Sisera.Yayi faced him and said, "Come in, I want to show you the person you are looking for."
Barra went into the tent and saw Sisera lying in a pool of blood with her pout still stuck in her temple hair.
In this way, the heroine Deborah liberated the Israelites from alien domination.Under her leadership, the nation of Israel enjoyed 40 years of peace. (Judges 4-5) Gideon - the sword of the Israelites
Once the Israelites were free, they gradually forgot the kindness of Jehovah and began to worship the gods of the Canaanites.For this reason they fell again into the yoke of the Canaanites.Midianites, Amalekites, and other nomadic tribes from the east came to oppress them.During the harvest season, they swarmed like locusts, and their camels grazed in the fields of the Israelites, ruthlessly trampling the wheat, vegetables and grapes in the fields.These robbers from the desert took whatever they saw, whether it was food or livestock.The helpless Israelites had to flee to the mountains and hide in caves.The land was deserted, there was no life, and hunger and plague devoured the lives of the Israelites.The disaster tormented the Israelites for seven years before Jehovah forgave them and sent judges to rescue them.
In Ophrah lived a farmer whose name was Joash, and who had a son named Gideon.
One day, Gideon was busy threshing wheat in order to store food so that he could run to the mountains to escape the Midianites.Suddenly the angel came to the threshing ground, sat under the oak tree beside the ground, and said to Gideon who was resting under the tree: "Mighty warrior, the Lord is with you!"
Gideon said, "My lord, the LORD is with us. How did we end up in this situation? Now we are eating chaff and swallowing vegetables, poor and bullied by foreigners at will. Where is the divine power of the LORD?"
The angel said hopefully, "No, I am here to send you to save the Israelites?"
Gideon bowed his head and said, "Lord, how can I save Israel? My family is the poorest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family."
The angel said to him, "With me with you, you can defeat the Midianites very easily."
Gideon said, "However, what evidence do you have to convince me that you are the messenger of the Lord God, and that you can give me grace?"
The angel said, "Go and prepare a young goat and an ephah of unleavened bread, and I will appear to you."
Gideon went home and fetched a burnt offering.He put the meat and loaves in baskets, and the soup in pots, and brought them under the tree, and presented them to the angels.The angel said to him: "Put the meat and bread on the rock, and pour out the soup."
Gideon complied.The angel of the LORD stretched out his staff and pointed at the meat and the unleavened bread, and immediately fire burst out from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread.
After performing this miracle, the angel disappeared.Only then did Gideon truly believe that the Angel of the Lord had come to him.He cried out in horror, "Alas, Lord. I must not live, because I saw the face of the angel in my face."
The angel comforted him and said, "Don't be afraid, you won't die because of it."
That night, according to God's command, Gideon demolished the altar of Baal, and cut down the wooden dolls to make firewood for the sowing offering to God.The cow that was used as a burnt offering was pulled out of his father's cowshed in the middle of the night by him and had been raised for seven years.
People in Euphra woke up early in the morning and found that the altar of Baal had been demolished, and beside the altar were chopped-up puppets, and on the altar was a freshly killed ox.They asked, "Who did this?"
Someone came out and said, "Gideon son of Joash did it."
Some of the crowd ran to Joash and said to him, "Hand over your son, and we will put him to death. For he has destroyed the altar of Baal, and he has cut down the wooden puppet that stood beside the altar for a burnt offering." ."
Joash was a thoughtful man. He calmly said to the crowd: "Do you need to speak for Baal? Whoever speaks for Baal should be executed. If Baal is really a god, he will come out to deal with the demolition by himself." The people of his altar..." When everyone heard this, they all went home.From then on people jokingly referred to Gideon as Jerub-Baal, which means "Let Baal handle himself".
The people of Ophrah later saw that Baal, the Canaanite god, did not come to settle accounts with Gideon who had blasphemed him, and they became especially respectful of Gideon.Gideon became a man of great prestige in the hearts of the Israelites.
At that time the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the Easterners gathered across the river and camped in the plain of Jerusreel.Gideon sounded the trumpet, and summoned the tribe of Abiezer to follow him; and he sent men through the land of Manasseh, and gathered around him all the mighty men of Manasseh.At the same time, send people to unite the Asherites, Zebulunites, and Naphtaliites.
Gideon said to God: "If you ask me to save the Israelites, then I will put a ball of wool on the ground. If only the wool has dew and the rest is dry, it means that you are with me."
The next morning, Gideon saw that the wool was covered with glistening dew, and the rest was dry.Gideon wrung a basin full of dew out of the fleece.
Gideon said to God again, "Please don't be angry, let me try again. I put the fleece on the ground, and if the fleece is dry and there is dew everywhere else, I will know that you are with me."
Once again a miracle happened according to Gideon's prayer.Gideon gained more confidence.Gideon and his 32,000 Israelites camped at the spring of Harod.Gideon knew how to fight those strong beams in the desert.He decided to select some elite members to form a surprise attack team to defeat the enemy by surprise.He said to the masses: "War is cruel and requires bloodshed. Anyone who feels afraid and timid can go back."
Under his persuasion, those who were not strong-willed all went back.22,000 people left one after another, leaving only 10,000 people.These 10,000 people could form an elite army, but it was still too much for his battle plan.
How to select the most elite and bravest fighters from these 10,000 elite soldiers?The Lord gave Gideon advice.In the evening, Gideon led the soldiers to the river to drink water.He stood on a nearby hill to watch them.Most of the soldiers dropped their weapons on the ground and drank water with both hands.Only a small number of people prostrated themselves on the ground, holding their weapons tightly in both hands, licking water with their tongues like dogs.These are battle-baptized warriors who are always on the lookout for possible surprise attacks from the enemy.Gideon counted 300 people.Gideon decided to use these 300 people to form a surprise attack team, and the rest were ordered to return to their tents to stay behind.
That night, Gideon took his servant Pura down to the enemy's camp on the plain to find out the truth.Under the moonlight, Gideon saw that the Midianites, Amalekites, and Easterners were all scattered on the plain like locusts, and their camels were as numerous as the sand on the seashore.
Gideon hid behind the enemy's haystack and heard two Midianites talking.One said, "Last night I had a strange dream. I dreamed that a barley loaf rolled into the camp of Midian and rolled all the way to the tent, knocking the tent down."
Another Midianite said, "This is none other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash the Israelite; God has delivered us into his hand."
When Gideon heard this, he was encouraged.He immediately returned to the camp of Israel and said to the warriors, "Get up! The Lord has delivered the army of Midian into your hands."
So Gideon divided the raiding team into three groups of 100 people each.He asked everyone to take a horn and an empty jar with a torch hidden in the jar.Gideon commanded them, saying, "See what I do, and do what I do near the camp, and when I blow the trumpet with the group that followed me, you also blow the horn around the camp. and shout at the same time: The Lord and the sword of Gideon."
Gideon and the 100 men who followed him arrived around the enemy's camp at the beginning of the third watch, when the watch was just changing. They took their positions and surrounded the camp.By this time the enemy had fallen asleep and there was silence.Suddenly Gideon blew the horn and gave the order to attack; the raiders broke the jars and took out the burning torches; they held the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right, and blew the horns with all their might.After blowing the horn for a while, they stopped for about ten and shouted in unison, "The sword of the LORD and Gideon!"
The sound of trumpets and shouts woke the Midianites.Hearing so many trumpets and shouts, they thought they were surrounded by a great mass of enemies, and they fled in haste.Gideon led his own warriors to pursue and pursue them all the way across the Jordan River, killing countless Midianites along the way, including 4 Midianite leaders.
During the pursuit, a very unpleasant incident happened, which showed that the Israelis lacked the sense of unity among the clans, and some Israelis were greedy for life and afraid of death.The Succoth and Penielites on the east bank of the Jordan refused to feed Gideon's hungry soldiers for fear of reprisals from the Midianites.Gideon was furious, and he swore to beat the chieftains with a whip made of thorns in the field when he came back from the chase.After Gideon returned victorious, he ordered the arrest of all the elders of Succot and Peniel, a total of 77.He also ordered the soldiers to beat them with whips made of thorns from the field and cut off their heads.
The people in the two cities were not spared either, they were all killed, and in the end they were razed to the ground as a warning to future generations.
Gideon seized a great deal of property from his enemies.The eastern tribes, especially the Midianites, were not only engaged in plundering, they were also shrewd merchants, communicating what was needed between Asia and Egypt.They like to show off their wealth, and they like to wear expensive clothes and gold and silver ornaments.Even their camels are hung with gold chains.
In return for Gideon's kindness, the Israelites made him king.This is the first time in the history of Israel.They said to Gideon, "Since you delivered us from Midian, let you and your children rule over us!"
Gideon, a man of good sense, and knowing that many of his countrymen loathed the monarchy, declined the request, saying, "I will not rule over you, nor will my children and grandchildren. I have one thing to ask You: each of you, give me the earring you have taken."
The Israelites say, "We will give it to you."
So Gideon spread out a coat, and the Israelites put all the earrings they had taken on the coat.These gold earrings weighed 1,700 shekels in total.There are also the earrings, earrings, and purple garments worn by the king of Midian, and the gold chains around the necks of the camels.
Although Gideon officially declined the throne, he actually exercised the power of the king.He chose his old city Ophrah as the capital, and issued orders to various places from there.Gideon ruled the country for 40 years, during which the people of Israel lived and worked in peace and contentment.
Gideon raised many wives and concubines, and they bore him many children, up to 70 sons alone.One of them had a son named Abimelech, born to a servant of Shechem.
After Gideon died of old age, his sons took power.They adopted the method of collective governance, but did not let Abimelech share the power.Because they looked down on him, saying that he was not brought up in the harem, but was born in Shechem's outer chamber.Abimelech ran to Shechem and encouraged his relatives on his mother's line to help him seize power and succeed his father.He said to them: "Think about it, should we let 70 brothers rule you together, or should I rule you alone? Think about it, I am still your own flesh and blood. Help me now." , after I take the stage, I will definitely not treat you badly."
Abimelech's words convinced his uncles, and his uncles conveyed this to all the residents of Shechem.The hearts of the people of Shechem turned to Abimelech, and they said, "Abimelech is of our family."
They gave Abimelech 70 shekels of silver from the Baal-Pelite temple in the city, and Abimelech used the money to hire a band of robbers to follow him to his father's house in Ophrah, and took the rest All 68 of his brothers were killed on one rock.Only the youngest brother, Jordan, escaped.Abimelech was crowned king by his uncles.
After Jordan escaped, he lobbied throughout Canaan and incited the people to rise up and overthrow the Enlightened One.
Abimelech ruled Israel for 3 years.He turned out to be a brutal dictator, and people became more and more intolerable to him.The people of Shechem who supported his usurpation were the first to rise up, led by Ether's son Caleb.They captured the city of Shechem, and they drank wine and made merry in the temple of Baal.Zebul, the governor of Shechem, was a faithful believer of Abimelech. He secretly sent someone to Abimelech to report, "Caleb, the son of Eth, gathered a crowd against you in Shechem. Please bring people to Set up an ambush in the fields outside the city of Shechem. As soon as the sun rises tomorrow morning, you will break into the city and kill them all."
That morning, Abimelech's men were discovered by Caleb's men before they entered the city. Caleb led his men to fight Abimelech out of the city.Abimelech defeated Caleb's rebel army, massacred the people in the city, and turned Shechem into flat ground.About 1,000 rebels fled into the Temple of Baal.Abimelech's troops were unable to attack for a long time, so they set fire to the temple, and all the people inside were burned to death.
At the same time, the people of Thebes revolted.After Abimelech quelled the riot in Shechem, he led his troops straight to Thebes, set up camp outside the city, and then launched a fierce attack on the city.The people of Thebes fought bravely and held on to a strong tower.Seeing that he could not attack for a long time, Abimelech wanted to set fire to the matter.Abimelech took the lead and rushed to the tower to light the fire. A woman on the tower threw a stone mill at his head, breaking his skull.Abimelech was badly wounded and fell to the ground.He feebly begged the guards around him and said, "Draw out your knife and kill me, lest people talk about me and say that I was beaten to death by a woman." The guard did as expected and pierced his heart with a knife.
Thus Abimelech died.The tree fell and the monkeys scattered, and the group of people who supported him in the past disappeared without a trace in a blink of an eye.The 3-year tyranny of Abimelech ended.He also received retribution for the evil he had done to his brothers and the people of Canaan. (Judges 6-9) Jephthah, the Green Forest Man
After Abimelech, Tola the Issacharite judged Israel for 23 years. After Tola died, Orl the Gileadite rose up and judged Israel for 22 years.Goer had 30 sons who rode 30 donkey colts and lived in 30 cities. These cities formed an urban cluster, collectively called Hawut Goer.
After Or's death, the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.God was angry with them and delivered them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites.These foreigners not only plundered and ravaged the area east of the Jordan River, but also stepped on the land of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim on the west bank of the Jordan River.The Israelites suffered for 18 years. They begged God day and night, and God forgave them and decided to send judges to save them.
On the west bank of the Jordan River, between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers, was a place called Gilead.The Israelites who live there are mainly engaged in animal husbandry.There was a shepherd whose name was also Gilead, like the name of the place where he was.Gilead had several sons with his wife, and also had a son with a prostitute outside. This son's name was Jephthah.Gilead died early, leaving a widow and a group of orphans.When the children grew up, they kicked Jephthah, the concubine's brother, out of the house so that he would not have to share the inheritance.
In order to avoid the persecution of his brothers, Jephthah fled to Tobe in the desert, joined the local bandits, and started to rob houses.After a while, Jephthah became the leader of the gang, and his reputation spread far and wide. Even the elders in his hometown of Gilead knew that Jephthah, who was born in his hometown, was a green forest hero in a certain place.
The Israelites, who could no longer bear the cruel oppression of the Ammonites, thought of rebelling against the Ammonites, but there was no one among them who could take the role of leader.So the people of Gilead thought of Jephthah, who alone could take on this important task.The elders of Gilead went to Naphta in Tobe and said to him, "Come and be our commander, so that we may fight against the Ammonites."
However, Naphtah still harbored old resentment. He asked the elders of Gilead: "Didn't you hate me back then and kicked me out of my father's house? Why do you think of me now that you are in trouble?" ?"
The elders looked ashamed, and they said: "In the past, we drove you out of the house. We didn't come forward to take care of it. We were at fault. But the past is over after all. Can you just stand by and watch the suffering of your compatriots?" ? We are here this time to ask you to come out of the mountain and be our leader so that we can lead us to a decisive battle with the Ammonites. Now only you can take on this important task!"
"So," Jephthah said thoughtfully, "I must lead you out to fight the Ammonites! But even if I accept your invitation, who will listen to me?"
The elders said quickly, "The LORD is high, and he is a witness among us. We will do what you have said."
So the Gileadites took Jephthah back and made him the leader of the rebel army against the Ammonites.Jephthah saw that the strength of Gilead alone was not enough to defeat the enemy. He called the Ephraimites west of the river to join the battle, but received no answer.He did not dare to engage in armed confrontation with the Yaga people suddenly, and decided to negotiate with them first.He sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, "You have no hatred or hatred against us. Why do you come to our country and attack us?"
The Ammonites said, "Because the Israelites occupied our territory when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River to the Jordan River. Now return my land to us obediently!"
The messenger made a lot of excuses, but King Amon still refused to listen to the wishes of the Israelites. Peace talks are impossible, and only force can solve the problem.Naphtah came to Mizpah and prayed to the LORD, saying, "If you deliver the Ammonites into my hand, and I return victorious, and come back in peace from the Ammonites, no matter who you are, let me go through my house first." Come out to meet me, and it will be yours. And I will offer him as a burnt offering to you."
So Jephthah fought against the Ammonites, and the LORD handed them over to the Israelites, and Jephthah won a great victory.They conquered 20 cities from Aroer to Mina to Abel-keramim, and the Ammonites were subdued by the Israelites.
Jephthah, who returned in triumph, returned to Mizpah's own home. Unexpectedly, his daughter came out to welcome him with drums, singing, dancing and dancing.This is his only daughter, and he has no other children.
When Jephthah saw that his daughter was the first to come out to meet him, he tore his clothes and wept bitterly. He said, "Alas, my daughter, you have caused me to die of grief. What should you tell me to do? I have made a vow to the Lord that I will sacrifice him as a burnt offering to the first person who comes out to meet me. My vow cannot be undone."
Jephthah's daughter was very sensible. She said to Jephthah, "Father, since you have made a vow to the LORD, you should do it. Because the LORD has avenged the Israelites on the enemies of Ammon." Then she He made a wish to his father, "I have only one thing to ask for your permission. Please allow me to go up the mountain with my companions for two months, so that I can cry for my fate."
Two months later, the daughter returned.Jephthah finally fulfilled his vow and offered his daughter to Yahweh as a burnt offering amidst the wailing of the crowd.From then on, a custom was established among the Israelites: Every year, the women of Israel wear mourning clothes and mourn for the daughter of Naphtah the Gileadite for four days.
The victorious Gileadites did not forgive the Ephraimites for standing idly by while fighting against the Ammonites. They showed contempt and contempt for the Ephraimites everywhere.Many of the Ephraimites were rebellious, and they confronted Naphtah, saying, "Why didn't you inform us of your war with the Ammonites? We must burn you and your house with fire."
Jephthah said: "I have fought hard with my people and the Ammonites. I need your help very much. I sent people to ask you to fight, but you did not come. Today we defeated the Ammonites alone. You What's the point of attacking us?"
So the Ephraimites declared war on the Gileadites.The Ephraimites crossed the Jordan River and invaded Gilead's territory, but in the end they failed, were beaten to the ground, and retreated in embarrassment.Jephthah was resourceful and had ordered the Gileadites to occupy the various crossings of the Jordan River, where they intercepted the fleeing Ephraimites.The Ephraimites put on the clothes of the common people and pretended that they were not Ephraimites, but people from other tribes.But the people of Gilead knew that the people of Ephraim could not pronounce "shi", but could only pronounce "xi", so they asked the person who wanted to make the transition to say "shibole".If you can't pronounce "Shi", it is concluded that he is an Ephraimite, because they all call "Shiboreel" as "Siboreel".In this way, the Gileadites killed all the Ephraimites who came across the river, and a total of 42,000 people died by the sword.
After the victory of the Gileadites, Naphtah judged Israel for six years.After his death he was buried in a city in Gilead. (Judges 10:1-12:7) Samson and the slut Delilah
After Jephthah, Ibzan the Bethlehemite judged Israel for 7 years, and he had 30 sons and 30 daughters; after Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel for 10 years; And Abdon son of Hillel the Piradonite judged Israel eight years.
After Abdon's death, the Israelites began to do what was considered evil in the eyes of Jehovah.
Yahweh punished them by handing them over to the Philistines for 40 years.The Philistines invaded from the sea and occupied the coastal areas of Canaan, where they established 5 city-states.After some time the Philistines, feeling the narrowness of the coast, pushed deep inland, and invaded the lands inhabited by the Judahs and the Danes.The Philistines were warlike by nature, battle-baptized and armored, so it is no surprise that they were victorious in the battles of Canaan.
There was a man named Manoah in the city of Zorah, of the tribe of Dan.His wife has been infertile for a long time and is very old, but there are no men or women under her knees.One day the angel of the LORD appeared to his wife and said to her, "You have never conceived and given birth to a child in your life. You are going to have two sons. Therefore, you must be extremely careful. You must not drink wine or strong drink, and everything that is unclean You can't eat anything; after the child is born, you can't shave his hair, because the child will belong to God as soon as he lands and become a Nazarite (Nazar: means to belong to the Lord). He will rise up and lead the Israelites out of the hands of the Philistines."
Manoah's wife told her husband about this adventure.Manoah prayed to the sky, asking God to come again, and the messenger of God came again.Manoah and his wife entertained him, talked with him, and asked his name?The angel said to them, "Why ask my name, my name is wonderful."
Manoah put a young goat and a grain offering on a rock and offered it to God.But a flame rose from the rock and consumed the lamb and the grain offering, and the angel of the LORD ascended into heaven in the flames.
Later, Manoah's wife gave birth to a son, and they named him Samson.Samson grew up day by day, and the Lord blessed him, making him physically strong, extremely powerful, and very witty at the same time.Once, he went to Timna with his parents, and saw a mighty lion roaring at him in the vineyard of Timna.Samson went forward and tore the lion in two with his bare hands, like a lamb.过了两天，他从死狮子旁边经过，见有一群蜜蜂在狮子口内飞出飞进，就知道它口中有蜜。他赶走蜜蜂，用手把狮子口中的蜜抠出来，拿回去交给他父母，让他们也分享这来自死狮子口中的甜蜜。
不过参孙这人出奇地痴情，一旦爱上一个女人，就会不顾一切地去追求，变得象绵羊一样的温顺。有一次，他到了亭拿，看见一个非利士人的女子长得非常迷人，一见钟情，他急急忙忙地回到家里，对父母说："我在亭拿看上一个姑娘，是非利士人的女儿，我要娶她。求你们找人给我说亲吧。"
他父母十分反对他跟一个非利士人的女子结婚，便反问他："难道以色列人中这么多姑娘你就没有一个看得上的吗？为什么非要在未受割礼的非利士人中娶亲不可呢？"参孙任性他说："我愿意，我爱她，没有她就不能活。"
从此以后参孙象掉了魂似的在家里呆不住，三天两头地到亭拿去找那个非利士人的女子幽会。父母见拗不过他，只好顺从他，给他订了这门亲，并选择了良辰吉日完婚。
急迫等待的新婚之日终于来到了。按照非利士人的风俗，新婚要庆祝7天，7天之内都要摆设宴席。他岳父家请了30个人来陪席，和他一起饮酒作乐。参孙在喜宴上给他们出工厂道谜语，说："你们若能在7天喜庆的日子里猜中了我的谜语，我就给你们30件衬衣，30件外衣；若是猜不出来，你们就得给我这么多东西。"
那30个人一听参孙要跟他们打赌，仗着人多势众，就说："好吧，你把你的谜语说出来吧，我们一定照办。"
参孙微笑着讲出了他的谜语："吃的从吃者中来，甜的从强者中来。"
非利士人一个个搔头挠耳，被这个谜语难住了。他们绞尽脑汁，冥思苦想，三天过去了仍然找不到谜底。一直等到第六天晚上，眼看最后的期限就要到了，没有办法，他们去找新娘，对她直言不讳他说："快哄你丈夫把谜底说出来吧，免得我们用火烧你和你父亲的家。你的新郎官给你们家的客人出这么难的谜语跟我们打赌，不是成心要勒索我们的财产吗？"
新娘子被这一帮人吓住了，晚上在被窝里哭哭啼啼地对参孙说："你是害我，而不是爱我。你给我国的人出谜语，连谜底也不告诉我。"
参孙只是支吾搪塞地说："连我父母都不知道，怎么能告诉你呢？"
但是他的妻子就是不依，又是撒娇，又是哭闹，软磨硬泡，逼得参孙没有办法，只好把谜底说了出来。第二天早晨，他的妻子就把这个谜底悄悄告诉了那帮人。傍晚，日头未落以前，那30个非利士人又在晚宴上与参刊、相会。他们得意地对参孙说："有什么比蜜还甜呢？有什么比狮子还强呢？"
参孙知道他们已经搞到了谜底，因为谜底就是：一头狮子嘴中有蜜。他立刻明白自己是被妻子哄骗了。他强忍心头的怒火，假装镇定他说："你们要是不用我那母牛耕地，就猜不出谜语的意思。"
看来参孙就要输了，但是他哪有那么多钱来买30件衬衣和30件外衣呢？这对参孙这样的平民来说可不是个小数目。他想来想去终于想出了一个应付的办法。当天晚上，参孙悄悄地来到亚实基伦，杀了30个非利士人，脱下他们的外套和衬衣，第二天就把这些衣服交给了30个同他打赌的非利士人。
参孙很生妻子的气，连告别话都没有给她讲就回自己父亲家去了。
过了好长时间，到秋天割麦子的时侯，参孙的怨气才慢慢消了。他原谅了妻子，觉得她哄骗自己并不是本意，而是受到逼迫，出于无奈。他带了一只山羊羔去看她，要跟她重归于好。但是到了岳父家，参孙却碰到了一个意外的情况：他要进里屋去看妻子，却被岳父拦住了。岳父告诉他："我估计你非常恨她，因此便将她改嫁了。她现在已经不是你的妻子，而是你结婚时伴郎中的一个人的妻子。不过她妹妹更漂亮，。可以代替姐姐做你的妻子。"参孙听后气得火冒三丈，他根本不想什么漂亮不漂亮。他想的是他蒙受了巨大的羞辱，人家仅仅把他当成了个花花公子，而他是一个顶天立地的男子汉、大力士，怎么能咽得下这口气。他决定不惜以任何代价报复非利士人。参孙转身就走出了前妻的家门，对自己说："这回我要报复非利士人算是有理由了。"
就这样参孙单枪匹马和非利士人的战争开始了。他连家都没有回，象一头被激怒的狮子在亭拿地方转悠。参孙捉了300支狐狸，把它们的尾巴一对一对地拴在一起。将火把捆在两根尾巴的中间，点着火把。受惊的狐狸钻进非利士人的庄稼地，将堆成山一样的麦捆和尚未割下的麦子、葡萄园、橄榄园都烧了。非利士人一年的辛苦一下子全都化为灰烬，他们问："这是谁干的？"
有人说："这是亭拿人的女婿参孙子的，因为他岳父将他的妻子转嫁给别人了。"
受害的非利士农民迁怒于参孙的岳父，放火烧了他的家。参孙很快就知道了这件事，他对非利士人说，"你们既然这样蛮不讲理，不分青红皂白，我一定会给你们更大的报复。"
参孙经常埋伏在路边，象幽灵一样出没在过路的非利士人面前，把他们一个个杀掉，连腿带腰都剁断。亭拿人吓得再也不敢出城一步。
很快地亭拿城里的粮食都吃光了，城内一片饥懂。由于参孙一个人的原故，亭拿人现在的处境就象被成千上万的军队围困住了一样。非利士人决心结束由于参孙的恐怖行动所造成的局面，他们出兵犹大，以血洗相威胁，要犹大人交出参孙。
非利士人的军队包围了犹大人住的利希城，犹大人出来问他们："你们为什么要来攻击我们呢？"
他们回答说："我们是来捉拿参孙的。他怎样对待我们的人，我们也要怎样对待他。"
当时参孙住在以但山谷的一个山洞里。胆小的犹大人听了非利士人的话，派3000士兵去那里找参孙，对参孙说："你难道不知道非利士人统治我们吗？你干的事把我们连累得好苦呀！"
参孙说："他们对我不仁，我就对他们不义。我干的事都是他们逼出来的。"
犹大人对他说："我们到这里是来捉拿你的，将你绑起来交给非利士人。"
参孙对他们说："我只有一个条件：你们要对我起誓，你们自己绝对不能杀害我。"
犹大人同意了，说："我们对上帝起誓，绝不杀你。"
这3000人就用两条新绳子把参孙捆绑起来，将他带回利希。
非利士人就把参孙团团围住，又谩骂，又是嘲笑，还有人向他吐唾沫，有几个胆子大的还朝参孙拳打脚踢。参孙气得双眼都要喷出火来了，他全身运气，用力挣扎，身上的绳子就象火烧的麻一样从他的手上"噌！噌！"地断裂脱落了。参孙从地上拣起一块驴腮骨，抡圆了左右开弓，朝非利士人披头盖脸地痛打，凡碰上的无一幸免。不长的工夫，他一口气杀死了1000个非利士人。其他没有碰上驴腮骨的非利士人见势不妙，早就逃之夭夭了。
"参孙打死打散了非利士人以后，非常高兴，在回自己的山洞的路上，轻快地唱起了自编的歌："我拿驴腮骨击打非利士人，我用驴腮骨打死1000人。
参孙的事迹在以色列人中很快家喻户晓，人们传说他是上帝派来拯救以色列人的英雄，把他推举为士师。参孙担任以色列士师20年，20年间，非利士人慑于参孙的威名，一直再未敢轻举妄动。
参孙自恃勇力，常常单独一个人大摇大摆地出没于非利士人的城镇。他在街上悠闲自在地游逛，东看西望，毫不介意他是行走在敌人的城里。有一次他到了商业重镇迦萨，看上了一个美貌的妓女，参孙很喜欢她，就去她家和她亲近。
跟踪参孙的非利士人向迦萨的军事首领报告了这个消息。他们就派了一大批部队在城门旁边埋伏下来，准备天亮那袭击参孙。
参孙在妓院的楼上觉察到非利士人在布置兵力，他睡到半夜就翻身起来，偷偷离开那妓女家。城门的守卫和伏兵没有料到他这么早就起来，还都在呼呼大睡。参孙打死了在城门旁打吨的卫兵，因为找不到城门的钥匙，就索性把城门的门板、门框和门闩一齐拆下来，扛在肩上，一直扛到希伯仑前面的山顶上。
后来，参孙在梭烈谷爱上了一个叫做大利拉的非利士女人。他对那女人非常痴情，干脆住在她家不走了。非利士人得知这个情况后就对大利拉说："求你设法诓哄参孙，叫他说出他为什么有这么大的力气，用什么方法才可以制他。你若从他口里掏出这些秘密以后，我们会给你：100舍客勒银子。"
大利拉接受了这个任务。她在参孙与自己调情，失去自制力时对参孙说："求你告诉我，你为什么会有这么大的力气，怎么才能制服你。"参孙已经吃过自己迷恋的女人的亏，这回显得非常谨慎，就拿假话骗她说："如果用7条未干的青绳子捆绑我，我就软弱得像常人一样了。"
非利士人就拿了7根未干的青绳子给大利拉，并派人预先埋伏在大利拉的内室。大利拉趁参孙昏然熟睡之机把他捆绑起来，然后大喊："参孙哪，非利士人拿你来了！"
参孙惊醒了，大吼一声，从床上跃起，象扯断经火烧过的麻线一样把捆在身上的7根绳子挣断了。参孙望着被他愚弄的非利士人仓惶逃走，得意地哈哈大笑。大利拉见计谋没有得逞，就赶忙表白自己："哎呀，好险啊！要不是我听到响动，惊醒过来把你叫醒，你早就被这帮人剁成肉泥了。"参孙装着信以为真的样子，对她点点头。
第二次，参孙要与那荡妇玩乐，她故意推辞他说："你骗我，向我撒谎。今天你不把秘密告诉我，就别碰我。"
参孙假装屈服于她的要求，做出认真的样子对她说："如果用没有使用过的新绳子捆绑我，我就软弱得跟常人一样了。"
和上次一样，等参孙入睡以后，大利拉把非利士人让进内室埋伏起来，再用没有使用过的新绳子捆住他，然后大声地喊起来："参孙啊！非利士人来拿你来了。"
参孙醒来，伸伸懒腰就把身上的绳子挣断了。
第三次，在跟头两次同样的情况下，大利拉在引诱参孙说出力大无比的秘密。参孙受不了她的纠缠就编了一套话："如果把我的头发梳成7络，与纬线同织就可以制服我了。"
于是大利拉就在他熟睡的时候，将他的头发梳成络，与纬线同织，还用撅子把编起来的发辫钉在床板上。大利拉大喊："参孙哪！非利士人拿你来了。"
参孙从梦里醒来，将撅子和纬线一齐拔出来。非利士人再次失败了。
如此这般，前后三次大利拉象一个傻瓜一样地被骗了。然而好事不过三，大利拉真的生气了。她故意冷淡他。一次一次地质问他："你说你爱我，怎么可以一而再，再而三地骗我呢？"
参孙得不到大利拉，心里烦闷得要死。最终他屈服了，对她说出了最大的秘密："剃刀从来没有剃过我的头，因为自从我下地的那一刻起，我就归上帝作拿细耳人；如果剃了我的头发，我的力气就离开我，我便软弱得跟常人一样了。"
大利拉见他把心中所藏的秘密都说出来了，就打发人到非利士人的首领那里，对他们说："他已经把心中所藏的秘密都告诉了我，请你们再来一次。"
于是非利士人的首领手里拿着赏银，来到大利拉那里。大利拉哄着参孙，让他枕着自己的大腿睡觉。她叫来一个人剃掉他头上的头发。然后，大利拉大喊："参孙哪！非利士人拿你来了。"
参孙从梦中醒来，活动身体，感到从未有过地虚弱，他一摸脑袋，才发现头发已经被人剃了。他长叹一声想夺门逃跑，但是门外却冲进一群非利士人，他再也敌不过这么多人了。非利士人一哄而上，七手八脚地把他捆了起来。非利士人把他带回迦萨，用刀剜了他的双眼，用铜链铐住他的手脚，用鞭子强迫他在监狱里推磨。
当牛作马的日子一天天地过去了，他的头上又长出一层短短的发茬，非利士人却没有发现。
非利士人俘获了以色列人的士师，非常高兴，他们象过大节似的召集所有的首领，要给他们的神大衮献大祭。祭坛设在大衮神庙里，那神庙是一座高大雄伟的建筑，所有的非利士头领一圈圈地围坐在大厅里喝庆功酒。大厅中间歌女们载歌载舞，好不热闹。酒至半酣，他们对助兴的歌女们感到腻味了，想起了参孙，就把他从监狱里提出来，带到大厅中央来戏弄他取乐。
失去双眼的大力士只好逆来顺受，听人摆布。非利士人让他弹琴，他就弹琴；让他在地上爬，他就在地上爬；有人还在他头上浇下一碗烧酒……参孙受尽了折磨和侮辱，而非利士的头人们却十分开心。就这样折腾了差不多一个时辰，参孙对牵他进来的那个仆人说："求你让我摸着这大厅的柱子，我要靠一靠，好歇口气。"
那个仆人照他说的做了。参孙摸着支撑大殿的两根巨大的石柱，心里说："主啊，那和华啊，求你眷念我吧，求你最后一次赐给我力量，我好报非利士人的挖目之仇。"
顷刻问参孙感到浑身充满了力量。他左、右手各抱住一根大石柱，口中说到："非利士人啊，我的敌人，我要与你同归于尽！"
他尽力屈身，猛推那两根柱子。只听"轰隆"二声，两根柱子断了，神庙坍塌了。沉重的建筑物压死了大殿中所有的人。这样，参孙死时所杀的人，比活着所杀的还多：共有3000名。
参孙的亲人去为他收尸，把他埋在他父亲的坟墓里，葬在锁拉和以实陶中间。（士13一16）剿灭便雅悯
参孙死后，很长时间以色列人中没有士师。以色列民族又为无秩序和混乱所困扰。
以法莲山脚下住着一个利未人，他娶了一个伯利恒的犹大女子为妾。那女子脾气刚烈，经常与丈夫吵架，最后离开了丈夫，回伯利恒娘家去了。夫妻分居了4个月，那丈夫忍受不了孤独，便带着一个仆人，赶着两头驴，载着各种礼物去接她回家。
岳父高高兴兴接着女婿，把他引进家门，当天夫妻俩就重归于好。岳父很喜欢这个女婿，留他在家一连住了三天。三天里有吃有喝，嘘寒问暖，十分周到。到第四大，利未人清早起来要走，岳父盛情挽留他说："请你稍等一会儿，吃点饭，好添加心力，然后再走不迟。"
于是翁婿俩坐下一同吃喝。酒过三巡，岳父说："今天就不要走了，请你们再住一夜，大家难得一聚，乐乐呵呵地，可以好好叙叙。"盛情难却，只好再住一夜。
第五天，利未人又要走，岳父过来拦住说："别忙着走嘛。坐下来先吃点饭，添加心力，才好赶路。"女婿只好坐下来陪岳父吃喝，谁知这一顿酒喝完，已经是下午时分，日头偏西了。岳父就劝女婿："看哪，日头都已经偏西了，你们不如再住一夜，明儿早早起来赶路。"
那利未人说什么也不愿意再住了，他坚决地告别丈人，夫妇俩骑着驴子，带着仆人，踏上了回家的路。日头炔要下山的时候，她们来到外邦人住的耶布斯（耶路撒冷）附近，仆人建议说："我们不如进这耶布斯人的城里住宿。"
那利未人说："不行，我们不能进不是以色列人住的外邦城，诬是赶到基比亚去住比较好。"基比亚是以色列人便雅悯支派的地盘。
一行三人紧赶慢赶，好不容易在日头落山后不久到了基比亚。
这利未人在基比亚没有亲戚朋友，只好坐在街上歇息。到了晚上，有下个老人，从田间刨地回来，看见街上坐着3个外乡人，就上去与他们搭话："尊贵的客人，你们从哪里来？要到哪里去？"
那利未人回答说："我们从犹大伯利恒来，要往以法莲山下去。
走到这里天已经黑了，我们就打算在这街头露宿一夜，反正我们带了喂驴的粮草，我的妾、我和我的仆人也都有饼和酒可以充饥解渴。 "
那老人原是以法莲支派的人，住在这个便雅悯人的城市里，很能体会异乡作客的难处，就对他们说："吃的东西倒没有什么要紧的，只是这地方不太平安，最好不要在街上过夜。我看三位要是不嫌弃的话，不妨到寒舍去对付一夜。"
他们就跟着老人回了家。老人先拿出草料来喂驴，然后端茶送饭，象对待亲戚一样照顾他们。主人正与客人们愉快地拉着家常的时候，突然听到房子四周人声嘈杂，有人在使劲地打门。原来本地的一群流氓已经把老人的家团团围住了。他们对老人说："你把来你家的陌生人交出来，我们要与他交合。"
老人一听连说："罪过，罪过！"又接着说，"弟兄们，不要这样。这人既然进了我的家门，你们就不要干那种丑事。我有个女儿，还是处女，来的人还有一个妾，我把她们领出来，任凭你们玷污，只是千万不要拿这个人干那种丑事。"
那帮人却不听老人劝解，最后他们把利未人的妾抢走，一大群人轮番地奸污她，凌辱了她一夜，直到天快亮那才放了她。那女人勉强移动脚步，一步一挪地回到寄宿的老人家的门口，再也支持不住了，就倒在地上死去了。
天亮以后，那利未人起来开了门，要出去找她。不料却发现他妻子仆倒在房门前，两手搭在门槛上。他以为她是在那里睡着了，就叫道："起来，让我们赶路吧。"
他妻子却没有回答。利未人把她扶起来，发现人已经死了，他就把她的尸体驮在驴背上，运回家去。到家后，利未人把受蹂躏而死的妾的尸体切成12块，分送给以色列的12个支派，让所有的以色列人都知道基比亚城中发生的这桩骇人听闻的暴行。凡看到那个女人肢体的都气愤他说："以色列人出埃及，直到今天也没有发生过这样的事情，大家应该想个办法，好好地教训这些恶棍。"
于是以色列入的长老都会聚到米斯巴，共同审理这个案件。他们派往基比亚的使者，一再要求交出罪犯，但便雅悯子孙傲慢地拒绝了使者的要求。最后事态发展到了宣战的地步--以色列各支派组成的联军，共有40000人，挺进到基比亚城下。便雅悯本人也从各城派兵增援基比亚，共有26000人，另外还有700精兵：他们都是左撇子，能用机弦甩石打人。
第一次以色列人在基比亚人城外安营，便雅悯人从城中杀出来，冲垮了联军的阵营，杀死22000人。第二次联军再次在基比亚城外摆开阵营，又被便雅悯人冲散，死伤18000人。
接连两次惨败，联军士气非常低下。他们退到伯特利，在那里禁食一整天，直到晚上，又在那和华面前献燔祭和平安祭。他们间耶和华："我们接连惨败，是应该接着打下去呢，还是罢兵？"
耶和华对他们说："你们应当迎头出击，明天我会把他们交在你们手中。"
第二天，以色列人事先在基比亚的四周埋下伏兵。第三天，一部分以色列人又到基比亚城外摆开阵营，与前两次一样。便雅悯人出城攻击，一交手联军便往后撤。便雅悯人杀死联军30个士兵，他们相互说："今天他们又要吃败仗了。"他们越追越起劲，一直追到离城老远的地方。
这时，埋伏在基比亚周围的联军趁城内空虚，一举攻下城池，不分男女老幼，见人就杀，要把城中的人都杀光。他们一边拼杀，一边在城中放火焚烧，顿时浓烟滚滚，火光冲天。
追出去的便雅悯人一看身后基比亚城中起火，纷纷喊到："完了，我们中计了。耶和华要灭了我们啊。"
诈败的联军迅速调转方向，回头杀过来，杀死了约10000名便雅悯人。那些追赶他们的人见大势已去，向旷野中四散逃跑。以色列人四面出击，齐力追剿，第四天共歼便雅悯人25000人。
以色列人又转战便雅悯的各个城市，杀尽烧光。便雅悯只剩下600人，逃到沙漠中的临门磐避难。
战争结束了，以色列人决定在米斯巴召开全族长老大会讨论便雅悯支派的去向问题和处理各种善后事宜。大会召集者向各地的以色列人发出通知："凡不上米斯巴到耶和华面前来的，必治死罪。"
大会讨论的第一个问题就是便雅悯支派是否应该继续存在。
因为以色列人在米斯巴出发讨伐便雅悯人以前，曾起誓说："我们都不将女儿给便雅悯人为妻。"现在战争结束了，便雅悯人中没有留下一个女人，虽然有消息说有600名便雅悯男子逃到临门磐，现在还活着，但是他们娶不到妻子，无法生儿育女，难道就让便雅悯支派绝种吗？众长老正在为便雅悯支派惋惜的时候，有人报告：基列雅比城的长老没有一人到会。大会当场做出决定：派联军去攻打基列雅比，把所有的男人、已经出嫁的妇女和小孩都杀了。只留下没有出嫁的处女，带到示罗，分配给活下来的便雅悯男子为妻。
联军派出12000人攻下基列雅比，杀死了已经出嫁的妇女和所有的男人，留下尚未出阁的处女，共有400名，带回示罗，准备给便雅悯的男人为妻。
长老会又打发人到临门磐去给残余的便雅悯男人说明情况，许他们回来。这时候那600个便雅悯人的种子在沙漠中居住已达4个月之久了。这些光棍汉回到迦南后，只有其中的400人得到了妻子。剩下的200人仍然没有家室。长老们吩咐便雅悯人中的光棍汉："在利波拿以南，伯特利以北，示剑大路以东的示罗，年年都有耶和华的节期。你们去，在葡萄园中埋伏。如果看见示罗的女子出来跳舞，就在她们中各抢一个为妻，回便雅悯的地方去。"
便雅悯人果真这样做了，他们每人都有了妻子，便雅悯支派才繁衍保存下来。（士19一21）