Judges chapter 9

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are three score and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

And his mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

And they gave him three score and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.

And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being three score and ten persons, on one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.

But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

And the trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.

But the fig tree said to them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Then said the trees to the vine, Come you, and reign over us.

And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.

And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

Now therefore, if you have done truly and sincerely, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands;

(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

And you are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, three score and ten persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; )

If you then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice you in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelled there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,

Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

That the cruelty done to the three score and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and on the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brothers.

And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and stepped the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase your army, and come out.

And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

And he sent messengers to Abimelech privately, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against you.

Now therefore up by night, you and the people that is with you, and lie in wait in the field:

And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and set on the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.

And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

And Gaal spoke again, and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.

Then said Zebul to him, Where is now your mouth, with which you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that you have despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even to the entering of the gate.

And Abimelech dwelled at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran on all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.

And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

And Abimelech got him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire on them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and got them up to the top of the tower.

And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and went hard to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone on Abimelech's head, and all to broke his skull.

Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brothers:

And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render on their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Judges chapter 10

And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelled in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.

And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.

And the children of Israel cried to the LORD, saying, We have sinned against you, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

And the LORD said to the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.

Yet you have forsaken me, and served other gods: why I will deliver you no more.

Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

And the children of Israel said to the LORD, We have sinned: do you to us whatever seems good to you; deliver us only, we pray you, this day.

And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.

And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Psalm chapter 49

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you people; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world:

Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

I will incline my ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying on the harp.

Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceases for ever: )

That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

For he sees that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

Nevertheless man being in honor stays not: he is like the beasts that perish.

This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Be not you afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

For when he dies he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise you, when you do well to yourself.

He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

Man that is in honor, and understands not, is like the beasts that perish.

1 Corinthians chapter 16

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do you.

On the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

And when I come, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality to Jerusalem.

And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

Now I will come to you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.

And it may be that I will abide, yes, and winter with you, that you may bring me on my journey wherever I go.

For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

For a great door and effectual is opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do.

Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come to me: for I look for him with the brothers.

As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come to you with the brothers: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.

Watch you, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Let all your things be done with charity.

I beseech you, brothers, (you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints, )

That you submit yourselves to such, and to every one that helps with us, and labors.

I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

For they have refreshed my spirit and your's: therefore acknowledge you them that are such.

The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

All the brothers greet you. Greet you one another with an holy kiss.

The salutation of me Paul with my own hand.

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and Timotheus.

Judges chapter 9

Judges chapter 10

Psalm chapter 49

1 Corinthians chapter 16

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