Judges 16-18; Psalms 75 - Prayer Tents

Judges 16

Samson Carries Away Gaza’s Gates

16One day Samson went to the Philistine town of Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute.H3212H8123H5804H7200H802H2181H9352Word soon spread that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together and waited all night at the town gates. They kept quiet during the night, saying to themselves, "When the light of morning comes, we will kill him."H5841H559H8123H935H5437H693H3915H8179H5892H2790H3915H559H1242H216H20263But Samson stayed in bed only until midnight. Then he got up, took hold of the doors of the town gate, including the two posts, and lifted them up, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them all the way to the top of the hill across from Hebron.H8123H7901H2677H3915H6965H2677H3915H270H1817H8179H5892H8147H4201H5265H1280H7760H3802H5927H7218H2022H6440H2275

Samson and Delilah

4Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek.H310H157H802H5158H7796H8034H18075The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, "Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver."H5633H6430H5927H559H6601H7200H1419H3581H3201H631H6031H5414H376H505H3967H37016So Delilah said to Samson, "Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely."H1807H559H8123H5046H1419H3581H631H60317Samson replied, "If I were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else."H8123H559H631H7651H3892H3499H2717H2470H259H1208So the Philistine rulers brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up with them.H5633H6430H5927H7651H3892H3499H2717H6319She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, "Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!" But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when it is burned by a fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.H693H3427H2315H559H6430H8123H5423H3499H6616H5296H5423H7306H784H3581H304510Afterward Delilah said to him, "You've been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied up securely."H1807H559H8123H2048H1696H3577H5046H63111Samson replied, "If I were tied up with brand-new ropes that had never been used, I would become as weak as anyone else."H559H631H631H2319H5688H4399H6213H2470H259H12012So Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them. The men were hiding in the inner room as before, and again Delilah cried out, "Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!" But again Samson snapped the ropes from his arms as if they were thread.H1807H3947H2319H5688H631H559H6430H8123H693H3427H2315H5423H2220H233913Then Delilah said, "You've been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now tell me how you can be tied up securely." Samson replied, "If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on your loom and tighten it with the loom shuttle, I would become as weak as anyone else." So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric.H1807H559H8123H2008H2048H1696H3577H5046H631H559H707H7651H4253H7218H454514Then she tightened it with the loom shuttle. Again she cried out, "Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!" But Samson woke up, pulled back the loom shuttle, and yanked his hair away from the loom and the fabric.H8628H3489H559H6430H8123H3364H8142H5265H3489H708H454515Then Delilah pouted, "How can you tell me, 'I love you,' when you don't share your secrets with me? You've made fun of me three times now, and you still haven't told me what makes you so strong!"H559H349H559H157H3820H2048H7969H6471H5046H1419H358116She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.H6693H3117H1697H509H5315H7114H419117Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. "My hair has never been cut," he confessed, "for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else."H5046H3820H559H5927H4177H7218H5139H430H517H990H1548H3581H5493H2470H12018Delilah realized he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the Philistine rulers. "Come back one more time," she said, "for he has finally told me his secret." So the Philistine rulers returned with the money in their hands.H1807H7200H5046H3820H7971H7121H5633H6430H559H5927H6471H5046H3820H5633H6430H5927H5927H3701H302719Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him.H3462H1290H7121H376H1548H7651H4253H7218H2490H6031H3581H549320Then she cried out, "Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!" When he woke up, he thought, "I will do as before and shake myself free." But he didn't realize the LORD had left him.H559H6430H8123H3364H8142H559H3318H6471H5287H3045H3068H549321So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.H6430H270H5365H5869H3381H5804H631H5178H2912H631H100422But before long, his hair began to grow back.H8181H7218H2490H6779H834H1548

Samson’s Final Victory

23The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, "Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!"H5633H6430H622H2076H1419H2077H1712H430H8057H559H430H5414H8123H341H302724When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, "Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!"H5971H7200H1984H430H559H430H5414H3027H341H2717H776H2491H723525Half drunk by now, the people demanded, "Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!" So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof.H3820H2896H559H7121H8123H7832H7121H8123H631H1004H6440H6711H5975H598226Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, "Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them."H8123H559H5288H2388H3027H3240H4184H3237H5982H1004H3559H817227Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them.H1004H4390H582H802H5633H6430H1406H7969H505H376H802H7200H8123H783228Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes."H8123H7121H3068H559H136H3069H2142H2388H6471H430H259H5358H5359H6430H8147H586929Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands,H8123H3943H8147H8432H5982H1004H3559H5564H259H3225H259H804030he prayed, "Let me die with the Philistines." And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.H8123H559H4191H5315H6430H5186H3581H1004H5307H5633H5971H4191H4191H4194H7227H4191H241631Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.H251H1004H1H3381H5375H5927H6912H6881H847H6913H4495H1H8199H3478H6242H8141

Judges 17

Micah’s Idols

17There was a man named Micah, who lived in the hill country of Ephraim.H376H2022H669H8034H43212One day he said to his mother, "I heard you place a curse on the person who stole 1,100 pieces of silver from you. Well, I have the money. I was the one who took it." "The LORD bless you for admitting it," his mother replied.H559H517H505H3967H3701H3947H422H559H241H3701H3947H517H559H1288H3068H11213He returned the money to her, and she said, "I now dedicate these silver coins to the LORD. In honor of my son, I will have an image carved and an idol cast."H7725H505H3967H3701H517H517H559H6942H6942H3701H3068H3027H1121H6213H6459H4541H77254So when he returned the money to his mother, she took 200 silver coins and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into an image and an idol. And these were placed in Micah's house.H7725H3701H517H517H3947H3967H3701H5414H6884H6213H6459H4541H1004H43215Micah set up a shrine for the idol, and he made a sacred ephod and some household idols. Then he installed one of his sons as his personal priest.H376H4318H1004H430H6213H646H8655H4390H3027H259H1121H35486In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.H3117H4428H3478H376H6213H3477H58697One day a young Levite, who had been living in Bethlehem in Judah, arrived in that area.H5288H1035H3063H4940H3063H3881H14818He had left Bethlehem in search of another place to live, and as he traveled, he came to the hill country of Ephraim. He happened to stop at Micah's house as he was traveling through.H376H3212H5892H1035H3063H1481H4672H935H2022H669H1004H4318H6213H18709"Where are you from?" Micah asked him. He replied, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am looking for a place to live."H4318H559H370H935H559H3881H1035H3063H1980H1481H467210"Stay here with me," Micah said, "and you can be a father and priest to me. I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, plus a change of clothes and your food."H4318H559H3427H1H3548H5414H6235H3701H3117H6187H899H4241H3881H321211The Levite agreed to this, and the young man became like one of Micah's sons.H3881H2974H3427H376H5288H259H112112So Micah installed the Levite as his personal priest, and he lived in Micah's house.H4318H4390H3027H3881H5288H3548H1004H431813"I know the LORD will bless me now," Micah said, "because I have a Levite serving as my priest."H559H4318H3045H3068H3190H3881H3548

Judges 18

Idolatry in the Tribe of Dan

18Now in those days Israel had no king. And the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel.H3117H4428H3478H3117H7626H1839H1245H5159H3427H3117H5159H5307H8432H7626H3478 2So the men of Dan chose from their clans five capable warriors from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol to scout out a land for them to settle in. When these warriors arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, they came to Micah's house and spent the night there.H1121H1835H7971H4940H2568H582H7098H1121H2428H6881H847H7270H776H2713H559H3212H2713H776H935H2022H669H1004H4318H3885 3While at Micah's house, they recognized the young Levite's accent, so they went over and asked him, "Who brought you here, and what are you doing in this place? Why are you here?"H1004H4318H5234H6963H5288H3881H5493H559H935H1988H6213 4He told them about his agreement with Micah and that he had been hired as Micah's personal priest.H559H2090H2090H6213H4318H7936H3548 5Then they said, "Ask God whether or not our journey will be successful."H559H7592H430H3045H1870H1980H6743 6"Go in peace," the priest replied. "For the LORD is watching over your journey."H3548H559H3212H7965H5227H3068H1870H3212 7So the five men went on to the town of Laish, where they noticed the people living carefree lives, like the Sidonians; they were peaceful and secure. The people were also wealthy because their land was very fertile. And they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby.H2568H582H3212H935H3919H7200H5971H7130H3427H983H4941H6722H8252H982H3423H6114H776H3637H1697H7350H6722H1697H120 8When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, "What did you find?"H935H251H6881H847H251H559 9The men replied, "Come on, let's attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. What are you waiting for? Don't hesitate to go and take possession of it.H559H6965H5927H7200H776H3966H2896H2814H6101H3212H935H3423H776 10When you get there, you will find the people living carefree lives. God has given us a spacious and fertile land, lacking in nothing!"H935H935H5971H982H7342H776H430H5414H3027H4725H4270H1697H776 11So 600 men from the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.H5265H4940H1839H6881H847H8337H3967H376H2296H3627H4421 12They camped at a place west of Kiriath-jearim in Judah, which is called Mahaneh-dan to this day.H5927H2583H7157H3063H7121H4725H4265H3117H310H7157 13Then they went on from there into the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.H5674H2022H669H935H1004H4318 14The five men who had scouted out the land around Laish explained to the others, "These buildings contain a sacred ephod, as well as some household idols, a carved image, and a cast idol. What do you think you should do?"H6030H2568H582H1980H7270H776H3919H559H251H3045H3426H1004H646H8655H6459H4541H3045H6213 15Then the five men turned off the road and went over to Micah's house, where the young Levite lived, and greeted him kindly.H5493H935H1004H5288H3881H1004H4318H7592H7965 16As the 600 armed warriors from the tribe of Dan stood at the entrance of the gate,H8337H3967H376H2296H3627H4421H1121H1835H5324H6607H8179 17the five scouts entered the shrine and removed the carved image, the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the cast idol. Meanwhile, the priest was standing at the gate with the 600 armed warriors.H2568H582H1980H7270H776H5927H935H3947H6459H646H8655H4541H3548H5324H6607H8179H8337H3967H376H2296H3627H4421 18When the priest saw the men carrying all the sacred objects out of Micah's shrine, he said, "What are you doing?"H935H4318H1004H3947H6459H646H8655H4541H559H3548H6213 19"Be quiet and come with us," they said. "Be a father and priest to all of us. Isn't it better to be a priest for an entire tribe and clan of Israel than for the household of just one man?"H559H2790H7760H3027H6310H3212H1961H1H3548H2896H3548H1004H259H376H3548H7626H4940H3478 20The young priest was quite happy to go with them, so he took along the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the carved image.H3548H3820H3190H3947H646H8655H6459H935H7130H5971 21They turned and started on their way again, placing their children, livestock, and possessions in front of them.H6437H3212H7760H2945H4735H3520H6440 22When the people from the tribe of Dan were quite a distance from Micah's house, the people who lived near Micah came chasing after them.H7368H1004H4318H582H1004H4318H1004H2199H1692H1121H1835 23They were shouting as they caught up with them. The men of Dan turned around and said to Micah, "What's the matter? Why have you called these men together and chased after us like this?"H7121H1121H1835H5437H6440H559H4318H2199 24"What do you mean, 'What's the matter?'" Micah replied. "You've taken away all the gods I have made, and my priest, and I have nothing left!"H559H3947H430H6213H3548H3212H559 25The men of Dan said, "Watch what you say! There are some short-tempered men around here who might get angry and kill you and your family."H1121H1835H559H6963H8085H4751H5315H582H6293H622H5315H5315H1004 26So the men of Dan continued on their way. When Micah saw that there were too many of them for him to attack, he turned around and went home.H1121H1835H3212H1870H4318H7200H2389H6437H7725H1004 27Then, with Micah's idols and his priest, the men of Dan came to the town of Laish, whose people were peaceful and secure. They attacked with swords and burned the town to the ground.H3947H4318H6213H3548H935H3919H5971H8252H982H5221H6310H2719H8313H5892H784 28There was no one to rescue the people, for they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby. This happened in the valley near Beth-rehob. Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there.H5337H7350H6721H1697H120H6010H1050H1129H5892H3427 29They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor, Israel's son, but it had originally been called Laish.H7121H8034H5892H1835H8034H1835H1H3205H3478H199H8034H5892H3919H7223 30Then they set up the carved image, and they appointed Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, as their priest. This family continued as priests for the tribe of Dan until the Exile.H1121H1835H6965H6459H3083H1121H1647H1121H4519H1121H3548H7626H1839H3117H1540H776 31So Micah's carved image was worshiped by the tribe of Dan as long as the Tabernacle of God remained at Shiloh.H7760H4318H6459H6213H3117H1004H430H7887

Psalms 75

75[For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph. A song to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”] We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.H5329H516H4210H7892H623H430H3034H3034H8034H7138H6381H56082God says, “At the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked.H3947H4150H8199H43393When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. InterludeH776H3427H4127H8505H5982H55424“I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’ I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!H559H1984H1984H7563H7311H71615Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens or speak with such arrogance.’”H7311H7161H4791H1696H6277H66776For no one on earth—from east or west, or even from the wilderness—should raise a defiant fist.H7311H2022H4161H4628H40577It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.H430H8199H8213H73118For the Lord holds a cup in his hand that is full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs.H3027H3068H3563H3196H2560H4392H4538H5064H2088H8105H7563H776H4680H83549But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.H5046H5769H2167H430H329010For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.”H7161H7563H1438H7161H6662H7311