The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.p>

The <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;The men of Judah should take the lead.<n id="1" /> Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.&#8221;<n id="2" />

The people of Asher live among the Canaanites residing in the land because they did not conquer them.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">When Joshua dismissed<n id="1" /> the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory,<n id="2" /> intending to take possession of the land.

Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.p>

The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives,<n id="1" /> capable men<n id="2" /> from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, &#8220;Go, explore the land.&#8221; They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah&#8217;s house.<n id="3" />

They said, &#8220;Come on, let&#8217;s attack them,<n id="1" /> for<n id="2" /> we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic,<n id="3" /> but don&#8217;t hesitate<n id="4" /> to invade and conquer<n id="5" /> the land.

but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.&#8217;<n id="1" /> But you have disobeyed me.<n id="2" /> Why would you do such a thing?<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">May all your enemies perish like this, O <sc>Lordsc>!p> <p class="poetry">But may those who love you shinep> <p class="poetry">like the rising sun at its brightest!&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="bodytext">And the land had rest for forty years.p>

They invaded the land<n id="1" /> and devoured<n id="2" /> its crops<n id="3" /> all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat,<n id="4" /> and they took away<n id="5" /> the sheep, oxen, and donkeys.

That night God did as he asked.<n id="1" /> Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites&#8217; fighting spirit was broken.<n id="1" /> The land had rest for forty years during Gideon&#8217;s time.<n id="2" />

Gaal again said, &#8220;Look, men are coming down from the very center<n id="1" /> of the land. A unit<n id="2" /> is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners.&#8221;<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">The men of Naphtali did not conquer the people living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath.<n id="1" /> They live among the Canaanites residing in the land. The Canaanites<n id="2" /> living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to do hard labor for them.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s angelic messenger<n id="1" /> went up from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, &#8220;I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land I had solemnly promised to give to your ancestors.<n id="2" /> I said, &#8216;I will never break my agreement<n id="3" /> with you,

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;

Gideon said to God, &#8220;Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign.<n id="1" /> Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make only the fleece dry, while the ground around it is covered with dew.&#8221;<n id="2" />

The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel handed Sihon and his whole army over to Israel and they defeated them. Israel took<n id="1" /> all the land of the Amorites who lived in that land.

The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish<n id="1" /> said to their kinsmen,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Do you realize that inside these houses are an ephod, some personal idols, a carved image, and a metal image? Decide now what you want to do.&#8221;

The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole<n id="1" /> the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men.<n id="2" />