When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he ¹  raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued ²  them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. ³ 

The Israelites asked the Lord (for the ark of God’s covenant was there in those days;

The leaders ¹  of the assembly said, “How can we find wives for those who are left? ²  After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out.

Now his father and mother did not realize this was the Lord’s doing, ¹  because he was looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble with the Philistines ²  (for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel).

When the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help because of Midian,

The Philistines went up and invaded ¹  Judah. They arrayed themselves for battle ²  in Lehi.

Manoah said to the Lord’s messenger, “Please stay here awhile, ¹  so we can prepare a young goat for you to eat.” ² 

Israel was so severely weakened by Midian that the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

He told them what Micah had done for him, saying, ¹  “He hired me and I became his priest.”

Her left ¹  hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workmen’s hammer. She “hammered” ²  Sisera, she shattered his skull, ³  she smashed his head, ⁴  she drove the tent peg through his temple. ⁵ 

‘No doubt they are gathering and dividing the plunder ¹  – a girl or two for each man to rape! ²  Sisera is grabbing up colorful cloth, ³  he is grabbing up colorful embroidered cloth, ⁴  two pieces of colorful embroidered cloth, for the neck of the plunderer!’ ⁵ 

God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers. ¹ 

Jephthah led ¹  Israel for six years; then he ²  died and was buried in his city in Gilead. ³ 

He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.

He said, “You may go.” He permitted her to leave ¹  for two months. She went with her friends and mourned her virginity as she walked through the hills. ² 

That entire generation passed away; ¹  a new generation grew up ²  that had not personally experienced the Lord’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel. ³ 

When he got home, ¹  he told his father and mother, “A Philistine girl in Timnah has caught my eye. ²  Now get her for my wife.”

How can we find wives for those who are left? ¹  After all, we took an oath in the Lord’s name not to give them our daughters as wives.”

The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.” ¹ 

Go and cry for help to the gods you have chosen! Let them deliver you from trouble!” ¹