(41) Judges 4

 

Tola came to rescue Israel.

He was Israel's judge for 23 years.

 

After Tola died,

a man from Gilead named Jair

became a judge in Israel.

 

Again Israelites worshiped other gods;

Ball and Ashtoreth.

 

So God handed them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites.

 

Now Jephthah from Gilead was a great warrior.

When Ammonites attacked,

people asked Jephthah to be their ruler and commander.

 

So Jephthah led the army against the Ammonites,

and God gave him victory.

 

After Jephthah,

Ibzan became Israel's judge.

 

After him,

Elon became Israel's judge.

 

After Elon died,

Abdon became Israel's judge.

(40) Judges 3 - Gideon & 300

 

Gideon and his army got ready early to fight against the Midianites.

 

But God said to Gideon,

 

"There are too many warriors with you.

They will think it was themselves who won the war.

so tell them whoever is afraid may leave."

 

22,000 men of them went home,

leaving 10,000 who were still willing to fight.

 

God said to Gideon again,

 

"There are still too many warriors

bring them to the spring and divide them into 2 groups.

One group with those who cup water in their hands,

and the other with those who lap it up with their tongues.

 

Only 300 men drank from their hands.

 

God told Gideon,

"With these 300 men I will rescue Israel."

 

Gideon divided the 300 men into 3 groups,

and gave each man a ram's horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.

 

That night, at the outer edge of the Midianite camp,

Gideon and 300 men blew the horns and broke their clay jars.

and held the blazing torches in their hands,

and the horns in their other hands and shouted,

 

" A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"

 

The Midianites ran around in a panic, and

God caused them to fight against each other.

 

Gideon kept peace in the land for 40 years.

(39) Judges 2 - Gideon

 

Again, Israel worshiped other gods.

So God handed them over to the Midianites for 7 years.

 

There was a man named Gideon who fled to the mountains

 

Then the angel of God came to Gideon.

"Mighty hero, go with the strength you have

and rescue Israel from the Midianites.

I am sending you."

 

Gideon replied.

 

"But how can I recue Israel?

I am nobody, I am the least in my entire family.

Not only that, my family is the weakest in the whole tribe."

 

The angel said to him.

 

"I will be with you. and you will have a victory over them."

 

Gideon still could not that God chose him to rescue Israel

so he asked for signs.

He asked God to make the wool wet with dew,

but the ground dry.

so that morning God did as Gideon asked.

Gideon asked one last time,

"Please don't be angry with me, but this time

let the wool dry while the ground around is wet with dew."

Again God did as he asked that night.

 

 

 

 

 

(38) Judges 1

 

After Joshua's generation,

another generation grew up who did not honor God

or remember what God had done for Israel.

Then Israelites chased after others gods,

worshiping the gods of the people around them.

 

This made God angry.

 

and God handed Israelites over to King Cushan-rishathaim for 8 years.

 

Israel cried out to God for help,

and God raised up a man named Othniel to rescue them.

He became Israel's judge.

He fought against King Cushan-rishathaim

and God gave Othniel victory.

 

and Once again Israelites turned away from God

and worshiped other gods,

so God gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel.

 

Israel cried out to God again,

and this time God raised a man named Ehud to rescue them.

 

After Ehud, Shamgar rescued Israel.

He fought, with an ox goad, against Philistines and won.

 

After Shamgar's death, Israelites again worshiped other gods.

Deborah became a judge in Israel.

Deborah kept peace in the land for 40 years.

(37) Joshua's last words

 

Many years passed, and

God had given Israelites rest from all the surrounded enemies.

 

Joshua, at the end of his life, called all the members of Israel.

 

"You have witnessed everything God has done for you.

God fights for you as he promised.

God also have allotted to you as an inheritance all the land,

from Jordan River to Mediterranean Sea.

Now, be extra careful to follow all the instructions

in the book of the Law.

and make sure you do not associate with other people

in the land and their gods.

If you do not want to serve God who led us out of Egypt and fought for us,

then choose now whom you will serve!

As for me and my family, we will serve God our Lord."

 

After this speech, Joshua died at the age of 110.

 

Israel served God throughout the lifetime of Joshua..

 

(36) The land given to 12 tribes

 

Now Joshua was an old man,

and God said to him,

 

"You are getting old, and yet

there are more lands that need to be conquered.

I will drive the people out of those lands

for the Israelites.

So make sure you give these lands to Israel,

just as I commanded you."

 

Moses had previously assigned the land for each tribe,

except for the tribe of Levi

for God distinguished them to serve God.

 

The tribe of Levi were to move

from one tribe to other tribes

to taech the Law of God;

for that reason, Moses did not assign any land to them.

 

 

(35) Israel defeats the kings

 

Joshua sent some men from Jericho to spy out the city of Ai.

They returned with the positive report, they told Joshua,

 

"It's a small town, we don't need to send all of our men to fight,

Let's just send 2-3 thousand men to fight for us."

 

So Joshua sent 3 thousand men to fight,

but they were defeated.

 

Joshua and all Israelites repented before God.

Then God was no longer angry with them.

 

God told Joshua,

 

"Do not be afraid, attack Ai again for I will give them to you."

 

Joshua destroyed the city of Ai.

 

Joshua and Israelites army also defeated

Southern kings and Northern kings,

and their cities.

 

In total, 31 kings and their cities were destroyed.