^14 (A)So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he ^(B)gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. ^(C)And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, ^(D)so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.

^27 (A)Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. ^(B)And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them ^(C)saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. ^28 (D)But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, ^(E)and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. ^29 (F)And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet ^(G)they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, ^(H)which if a person does them, he shall live by them, ^(I)and they turned a stubborn shoulder ^(J)and stiffened their neck and would not obey. ³⁰ Many years ^(K)you bore with them ^(L)and warned them ^(M)by your Spirit through your prophets. ^(N)Yet they would not give ear. ^(O)Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. ³¹ Nevertheless, ^(P)in your great mercies ^(Q)you did not make an end of them or forsake them, ^(R)for you are a gracious and merciful God.

³² “Now, therefore, our God, ^(S)the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, ^(T)since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. ^33 (U)Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully ^(V)and we have acted wickedly. ³⁴ Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. ³⁵ Even in their own kingdom, ^(W)and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and ^(X)rich land that you set before them, ^(Y)they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. ³⁶ Behold, ^(Z)we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. ^37 (AA)And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.

^38 [a] “Because of all this ^(AB)we make a firm covenant in writing; on ^(AC)the sealed document are the names of^[b] our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

⁷ So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and ^(A)he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, ⁸ and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. ⁹ And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

¹⁰ And the people of Israel ^(B)cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because ^(C)we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you ^(D)from the Egyptians and ^(E)from the Amorites, ^(F)from the Ammonites and ^(G)from the Philistines? ¹² The Sidonians also, and ^(H)the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I ^(I)saved you out of their hand. ¹³ Yet you have ^(J)forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. ¹⁴ Go and cry out ^(K)to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” ¹⁵ And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” ¹⁶ So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and ^(L)he became impatient over the misery of Israel.

¹⁷ Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at ^(M)Mizpah. ¹⁸ And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? ^(N)He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

Midian Oppresses Israel

6 ^(A)The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of ^(B)Midian seven years. ² And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and ^(C)the caves and the strongholds. ³ For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and ^(D)the Amalekites and ^(E)the people of the East would come up against them. ⁴ They would encamp against them ^(F)and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. ⁵ For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come ^(G)like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in. ⁶ And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel ^(H)cried out for help to the Lord.

Deborah and Barak

4 ^(A)And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. ² And the Lord ^(B)sold them into the hand of ^(C)Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in ^(D)Hazor. The commander of his army was ^(E)Sisera, who lived in ^(F)Harosheth-hagoyim.

Ehud

^12 (A)And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon ^(B)the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

⁸ Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, ^(A)and he sold them into the hand of ^(B)Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.