In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.<n id="1" />p>

When they took roll call,<n id="1" /> they noticed<n id="2" /> none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.

In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.<n id="1" />p>

He said to her, &#8220;Stand watch at the entrance to the tent. If anyone comes along and asks you, &#8216;Is there a man here?&#8217; say &#8216;No.&#8217;&#8221;

When they invaded<n id="1" /> with their cattle and tents, they were as thick<n id="2" /> as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted.<n id="3" /> They came to devour<n id="4" /> the land.

Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts.<n id="1" /> Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore.

God answered Manoah&#8217;s prayer.<n id="1" /> God&#8217;s angelic messenger visited<n id="2" /> the woman again while she was sitting in the field. But her husband Manoah was not with her.

The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s spirit empowered<n id="1" /> him and he tore the lion<n id="2" /> in two with his bare hands<n id="3" /> as easily as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.p>

The other man said,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Without a doubt this symbolizes<n id="2" /> the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God is handing Midian and all the army over to him.&#8221;p>

The thornbush said to the trees, &#8216;If you really want to choose<n id="1" /> me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches!<n id="2" /> Otherwise<n id="3" /> may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!&#8217;p>

But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">When Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter hurrying out<n id="1" /> to meet him, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines.<n id="2" /> She was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter.

<p class="bodytext">She said to him, &#8220;How can you say, &#8216;I love you,&#8217; when you will not share your secret with me?<n id="1" /> Three times you have deceived me and have not told me what makes you so strong.&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place<n id="1" /> to settle, because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">So the five men journeyed on<n id="1" /> and arrived in Laish. They noticed that the people there<n id="2" /> were living securely, like the Sidonians do,<n id="3" /> undisturbed and unsuspecting. No conqueror was troubling them in any way.<n id="4" /> They lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.<n id="5" />

When you invade,<n id="1" /> you will encounter<n id="2" /> unsuspecting people. The land is wide!<n id="3" /> God is handing it over to you &#8211; a place that lacks nothing on earth!&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

No one came to the rescue because the city<n id="1" /> was far from Sidon<n id="2" /> and they had no dealings with anyone.<n id="3" /> The city<n id="4" /> was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites<n id="5" /> rebuilt the city and occupied it.

<t /><p class="bodytext">In those days Israel had no king. There was a Levite<n id="1" /> living temporarily in the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. He acquired a concubine<n id="2" /> from Bethlehem<n id="3" /> in Judah.

We have enough straw and grain for our donkeys, and there is enough food and wine for me, your female servant,<n id="1" /> and the young man who is with your servants.<n id="2" /> We lack nothing.&#8221;