<p class="poetry">Hear, O kings!p> <p class="poetry">Pay attention, O rulers!p> <p class="poetry">I will sing to the <sc>Lordsc>!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will sing<n id="2" /> to the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel!p>

Micah said to him, &#8220;Where do you come from?&#8221; He replied, &#8220;I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am looking for a new place to live.&#8221;<n id="1" />

Gideon<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8220;But Lord,<n id="2" /> how<n id="3" /> can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.&#8221;<n id="4" />

Do not leave this place until I come back<n id="1" /> with a gift<n id="2" /> and present it to you.&#8221; The <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;I will stay here until you come back.&#8221;p>

He said to them, &#8220;Watch me and do as I do. Watch closely!<n id="1" /> I am going to the edge of the camp. Do as I do!

When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, you also blow your trumpets all around the camp. Then say, &#8216;For the <sc>Lordsc> and for Gideon!&#8217;&#8221;p>

he<n id="1" /> sent a prophet<n id="2" /> to the Israelites. He said to them, &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel says: &#8216;I brought you up from Egypt<n id="3" /> and took you out of that place of slavery.<n id="4" />

Look, I am putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and the ground around it<n id="1" /> is dry, then I will be sure<n id="2" /> that you will use me to deliver Israel,<n id="3" /> as you promised.&#8221;

He said to the men of Succoth, &#8220;Give<n id="1" /> some loaves of bread to the men<n id="2" /> who are following me,<n id="3" /> because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.&#8221;

Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, &#8220;All right!<n id="1" /> If you take me back to fight with the Ammonites and the <sc>Lordsc> gives them to me,<n id="2" /> I will be your leader.&#8221;<n id="3" />

I have not done you wrong,<n id="1" /> but you are doing wrong<n id="2" /> by attacking me. May the <sc>Lordsc>, the Judge, judge this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites!&#8217;&#8221;

When he saw her, he ripped his clothes and said, &#8220;Oh no! My daughter! You have completely ruined me!<n id="1" /> You have brought me disaster!<n id="2" /> I made an oath to the <sc>Lord,sc> and I cannot break it.&#8221;<n id="3" />

She then said to her father, &#8220;Please grant me this one wish.<n id="1" /> For two months allow me to walk through the hills with my friends and mourn my virginity.&#8221;<n id="2" />

Micah said to him, &#8220;Stay with me. Become my adviser<n id="1" /> and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.&#8221;<n id="2" />

The Levite<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8220;We are traveling from Bethlehem<n id="2" /> in Judah to the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. That&#8217;s where I&#8217;m from. I had business in Bethlehem in Judah, but now I&#8217;m heading home.<n id="3" /> But no one has invited me into their home.