We will take ten of every group of a hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (and a hundred of every group of a thousand, and a thousand of every group of ten thousand) to get supplies for the army.<n id="1" /> When they arrive in Gibeah of Benjamin they will punish them for the atrocity which they committed in Israel.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Samson went down to Timnah, where a Philistine girl caught his eye.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Gideon went and prepared a young goat,<n id="1" /> along with unleavened bread made from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought the food<n id="2" /> to him under the oak tree and presented it to him.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute and went in to have sex with her.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">After this Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley.

After two months she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She died a virgin.<n id="1" /> Her tragic death gave rise to a custom in Israel.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">There was a man named Manoah from Zorah, from the Danite tribe. His wife was infertile and childless.<n id="1" />

He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)p>

Jephthah made a vow to the <sc>Lordsc>, saying, &#8220;If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,

Ehud made himself a sword &#8211; it had two edges and was eighteen inches long.<n id="1" /> He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh.

<p class="bodytext">Samson went down to Timnah. When he approached<n id="1" /> the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a roaring young lion attacking him.<n id="2" />

The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s spirit took control of<n id="1" /> Gideon. He blew a trumpet,<n id="2" /> summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.<n id="3" />

Among this army<n id="1" /> were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers.<n id="2" /> Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The trees were determined to go out<n id="1" /> and choose a king for themselves.<n id="2" /> They said to the olive tree, &#8216;Be our king!&#8217;<n id="3" />

They said to him, &#8220;Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser<n id="1" /> and priest. Wouldn&#8217;t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man&#8217;s family?&#8221;<n id="2" />

Manoah said to his wife, &#8220;We will certainly die, because we have seen a supernatural being!&#8221;<n id="1" />

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>

<p class="poetry">Warriors<n id="1" /> were scarce,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they were scarce in Israel,p> <p class="poetry">until you<n id="3" /> arose, Deborah,p> <p class="poetry">until you arose as a motherly protector<n id="4" /> in Israel.p>

Manoah said to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s messenger, &#8220;Please stay here awhile,<n id="1" /> so we can prepare a young goat for you to eat.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Manoah&#8217;s wife<n id="1" /> gave birth to a son and named him Samson.<n id="2" /> The child grew and the <sc>Lordsc> empowered<n id="3" /> him.