WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.030 --> 00:00:03.120 Ethan: Welcome to Immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.250 --> 00:00:04.670 Day 100 and 75 00:00:05.238 --> 00:00:10.008 Gideon then crossed the Jordan River with his 300 men, and though exhausted, 00:00:10.248 --> 00:00:11.808 they continued to chase the enemy. 00:00:12.708 --> 00:00:15.858 When they reached eth Gideon asked the leaders of the town, 00:00:16.638 --> 00:00:18.558 please give my warriors some food. 00:00:18.798 --> 00:00:19.938 They are very tired. 00:00:20.688 --> 00:00:24.108 I am chasing Zeba and Alana, the kings of Midian. 00:00:25.278 --> 00:00:29.418 The officials of ETH replied, catch zeba and salana first, 00:00:29.868 --> 00:00:31.518 and then we will feed your army. 00:00:32.478 --> 00:00:37.938 So Gideon said, after the Lord gives me victory over Zeba and salana, I will 00:00:37.938 --> 00:00:42.468 return and tear your flesh with the thorns and briars from the wilderness. 00:00:42.778 --> 00:00:47.778 From there, Gideon went up to penal and again asked for food, 00:00:48.198 --> 00:00:49.458 but he got the same answer. 00:00:50.088 --> 00:00:54.093 So he said to the people of penal, After I return in victory, 00:00:54.393 --> 00:00:56.343 I will tear down this tower. 00:00:57.813 --> 00:01:03.063 By this time, Zeba and Alana were in car Core with about 15,000 warriors. 00:01:03.543 --> 00:01:08.133 All that remained of the Allied Armies of the East for 120,000 00:01:08.138 --> 00:01:09.333 had already been killed. 00:01:10.413 --> 00:01:15.393 Gideon circled around by the caravan route east of Nova and Jaha taking 00:01:15.393 --> 00:01:17.283 the Midianite army by surprise. 00:01:17.853 --> 00:01:21.573 Zeba and Alana, the two Midianite Kings fled. 00:01:22.353 --> 00:01:25.533 Gideon chased them down and captured all their warriors. 00:01:26.553 --> 00:01:29.433 After this, Gideon returned from the battle by way of here. 00:01:29.433 --> 00:01:34.053 As pass there, he captured a young man from ETH and demanded that he 00:01:34.053 --> 00:01:38.283 write down the names of all the 77 officials and elders in the town. 00:01:39.243 --> 00:01:44.733 Gideon then returned to ETH and said to the leaders, here are Zeba and Al Mana. 00:01:45.513 --> 00:01:51.003 When we were here before, you taunted me saying, catch Zeba and Alana first, and 00:01:51.003 --> 00:01:53.163 then we will feed your exhausted army. 00:01:54.153 --> 00:01:57.273 Then Gideon took the elders of the town and taught them a lesson, 00:01:57.993 --> 00:02:00.963 punishing them with thorns and briars from the wilderness. 00:02:01.683 --> 00:02:06.453 He also tore down the tower of penile and killed all the men in the town. 00:02:08.163 --> 00:02:12.423 Then Gideon asked Zeba and Salana, the men you killed at Tabor. 00:02:12.693 --> 00:02:13.413 What were they like? 00:02:14.538 --> 00:02:15.918 Like you, they replied. 00:02:16.548 --> 00:02:18.798 They all had the look of a King's son. 00:02:19.818 --> 00:02:25.128 They were my brothers, the sons of my own mother, Gideon Exclaimed. 00:02:25.788 --> 00:02:30.528 As surely as the Lord lives, I wouldn't kill you if you hadn't killed them. 00:02:31.938 --> 00:02:32.958 Turning tother. 00:02:32.988 --> 00:02:37.938 His oldest son, he said kill them, but G Ether did not draw his sword 00:02:38.418 --> 00:02:40.278 for he was only a boy and was afraid. 00:02:41.358 --> 00:02:43.578 Then Zeba and Sal Gideon. 00:02:44.283 --> 00:02:46.473 Be a man, kill us yourself. 00:02:47.373 --> 00:02:51.003 So Gideon killed them both and took the royal ornaments from 00:02:51.003 --> 00:02:52.413 the necks of their camels. 00:02:53.943 --> 00:02:57.543 Then the Israelites said to Gideon, be our ruler. 00:02:57.963 --> 00:03:01.653 You and your son, and your grandson will be our rulers for 00:03:01.653 --> 00:03:03.213 you have rescued us from Midian. 00:03:03.593 --> 00:03:09.303 But Gideon replied, I will not rule over you, nor will my son. 00:03:09.963 --> 00:03:11.733 The Lord will rule over you. 00:03:12.468 --> 00:03:18.018 However, I do have one request that each of you give me an earring from the plunder 00:03:18.018 --> 00:03:19.878 you collected from your fallen enemies. 00:03:20.658 --> 00:03:25.968 The enemies being ishmaelite all wore gold earrings gladly. 00:03:25.998 --> 00:03:30.888 They replied, they spread out a cloak and each one threw in a gold earring 00:03:30.918 --> 00:03:32.268 he had gathered from the plunder. 00:03:33.078 --> 00:03:37.458 The weight of the gold earrings was 43 pounds, not including the 00:03:37.458 --> 00:03:39.198 royal ornaments and pendants. 00:03:39.738 --> 00:03:43.578 The purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian or the chains 00:03:43.638 --> 00:03:45.198 around the necks of their camels. 00:03:46.188 --> 00:03:52.578 Gideon made a sacred EOD from the gold and put it in opera, his hometown, but 00:03:52.578 --> 00:03:56.958 soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it 00:03:56.958 --> 00:03:59.208 became a trap for Gideon and his family. 00:04:00.738 --> 00:04:03.648 That is the story of how the people of Israel defeated 00:04:03.648 --> 00:04:05.868 Midn, which never recovered. 00:04:06.648 --> 00:04:10.368 Throughout the rest of Gideon's lifetime, about 40 years, 00:04:10.638 --> 00:04:12.108 there was peace in the land. 00:04:13.698 --> 00:04:16.548 Then Gideon's son of Joe returned home. 00:04:17.268 --> 00:04:20.868 He had 70 sons born to him for, he had many wives. 00:04:21.768 --> 00:04:26.479 He also had a concubine in Chechem who gave birth to a son whom he named Ab. 00:04:28.458 --> 00:04:32.568 Gideon died when he was very old and he was buried in the grave of his father. 00:04:32.573 --> 00:04:34.248 Joe Ash at Opera. 00:04:34.728 --> 00:04:37.068 In the land of the clan of Abai Ezer, 00:04:39.138 --> 00:04:43.098 as soon as Gideon died, the Israelites prostituted themselves 00:04:43.098 --> 00:04:47.898 by worshiping the images of Baal, making Baal beith their God. 00:04:48.888 --> 00:04:52.308 They forgot the Lord their God, who had rescued them from all 00:04:52.308 --> 00:04:53.658 their enemies surrounding them. 00:04:54.498 --> 00:04:59.088 Nor did they show any loyalty to the family of Jira, Baal that is Gideon. 00:04:59.898 --> 00:05:02.328 Despite all the good he had done for Israel. 00:05:03.888 --> 00:05:07.128 One day, Gideon's son Alac went to Shechem to visit his 00:05:07.133 --> 00:05:09.258 uncles, his mother's brothers. 00:05:10.128 --> 00:05:14.598 He said to them and to the rest of his mother's family, ask the leading citizens 00:05:14.598 --> 00:05:20.088 of Shechem whether they want to be ruled by all 70 of Gideon's sons or by one man. 00:05:20.718 --> 00:05:24.138 And remember that I am your own flesh and blood. 00:05:25.518 --> 00:05:29.688 So AB Bialek uncles gave his message to all the citizens of Shechem on his behalf. 00:05:30.558 --> 00:05:34.938 And after listening to this proposal, the people of Shechem decided in favor of 00:05:34.943 --> 00:05:37.188 Ab Bialek because he was their relative. 00:05:38.148 --> 00:05:42.408 They gave him 70 silver coins from the Temple of Baal Beath, which 00:05:42.408 --> 00:05:45.888 he used to hire some reckless troublemakers who agreed to follow him. 00:05:46.238 --> 00:05:52.578 He went to his father's home at opera, and there on one stone, they killed all 70 00:05:52.698 --> 00:05:55.338 of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. 00:05:56.133 --> 00:06:02.403 The youngest brother Jotham, escaped and hid then all the leading citizens 00:06:02.403 --> 00:06:06.483 of Shechem and Beth Milow called a meeting under the yo beside the pillar 00:06:06.483 --> 00:06:09.123 at Shechem and made ab bialek their king. 00:06:10.443 --> 00:06:13.953 When Jotham heard about this, he climbed the top of Mount GM 00:06:14.403 --> 00:06:17.013 and shouted, listened to me. 00:06:17.193 --> 00:06:18.513 Citizens of Shechem. 00:06:19.323 --> 00:06:21.813 Listen to me, if you want God to listen to you. 00:06:23.328 --> 00:06:26.538 Once upon a time, the trees decided to choose a king. 00:06:27.048 --> 00:06:29.808 First they said to the olive tree, be our king. 00:06:30.738 --> 00:06:35.148 But the olive tree refused saying, should I quit producing the olive oil? 00:06:35.148 --> 00:06:40.008 That blesses both God and people just to wave back and forth over the trees. 00:06:40.788 --> 00:06:43.698 Then they said to the fig tree, you be our king. 00:06:44.688 --> 00:06:48.663 But the fig tree also refused saying, Should I quit producing 00:06:48.663 --> 00:06:52.983 my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees. 00:06:53.883 --> 00:06:56.733 Then they said to the grapevine, you be our king. 00:06:57.693 --> 00:07:02.103 But the grapevine also refused saying, should I quit producing the wine? 00:07:02.103 --> 00:07:06.723 That cheers both God and people just to wave back and forth over the trees. 00:07:08.103 --> 00:07:10.563 Then all the trees finally turned to the thorn bush and 00:07:10.563 --> 00:07:13.233 said, come, you be our king. 00:07:14.223 --> 00:07:16.143 And the thorn bush replied to the trees. 00:07:16.683 --> 00:07:21.543 If you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade. 00:07:22.233 --> 00:07:28.983 If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Lebanon Jotham. 00:07:28.988 --> 00:07:35.133 Continued now, make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making ab 00:07:35.133 --> 00:07:39.873 bialek your king and that you have done right by Gideon in all of his descendants. 00:07:40.803 --> 00:07:44.433 Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished. 00:07:45.573 --> 00:07:49.953 For, he fought for you and risked his life when he rescued you from the Midianites, 00:07:51.033 --> 00:07:55.983 but today you have revolted against my father and his descendants killing his 70 00:07:55.983 --> 00:08:02.793 sons on one stone, and you have chosen his slave woman's son, ab bialek to be your 00:08:02.798 --> 00:08:05.043 king just because he is your relative. 00:08:06.303 --> 00:08:10.263 If you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gideon and his descendants 00:08:10.263 --> 00:08:13.293 today, then may you find joy in a bialek. 00:08:14.213 --> 00:08:16.143 And may he find joy in you. 00:08:17.313 --> 00:08:21.513 But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from ab 00:08:21.513 --> 00:08:27.393 bialek and devour the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth Milow and May Fire 00:08:27.393 --> 00:08:31.413 come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth Milow and devour ab Bialek. 00:08:33.303 --> 00:08:37.743 Then Jotham escaped and lived in beer because he was afraid of his brother. 00:08:37.983 --> 00:08:43.203 Alek, after Alek had ruled over Israel for three years. 00:08:43.833 --> 00:08:47.823 God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Eek and the leading 00:08:47.823 --> 00:08:49.923 citizens of Shechem and they revolted. 00:08:51.003 --> 00:08:56.253 God was punishing aek for murdering Gideon's 70 sons and the citizens of 00:08:56.253 --> 00:08:59.493 Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers. 00:08:59.923 --> 00:09:04.983 The citizens of Shechem said an ambush for Eek and the hilltops and 00:09:04.983 --> 00:09:06.693 robbed everyone who passed that way. 00:09:07.503 --> 00:09:09.753 But someone warned Ab Bialek about their plot. 00:09:11.253 --> 00:09:14.643 One day, Gail's son of Eid moved to Shechem with his brothers 00:09:14.883 --> 00:09:17.583 and gained the confidence of the leading citizens of Shechem. 00:09:18.513 --> 00:09:22.023 During the Annual Harvest Festival at Shechem, held in the temple 00:09:22.023 --> 00:09:26.763 of the local God, the wine flowed freely and everyone began cursing. 00:09:26.793 --> 00:09:30.693 Ab Bialek, who is a bialek, Gail shouted. 00:09:31.263 --> 00:09:35.523 He's not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? 00:09:36.243 --> 00:09:41.703 He's merely the son of Gideon, and this zeal is merely his deputy serve. 00:09:41.703 --> 00:09:44.703 The true sons of Haymore, the founder of Shechem. 00:09:45.633 --> 00:09:47.373 Why should we serve a Bialek? 00:09:48.393 --> 00:09:51.753 If I were in charge here, I would get rid of a bialek. 00:09:52.143 --> 00:09:55.743 I would say to him, get some soldiers and come out and fight. 00:09:57.123 --> 00:09:59.673 But when Zebo, the leader of the city, heard what Gail 00:09:59.673 --> 00:10:01.803 was saying, he was furious. 00:10:02.808 --> 00:10:07.848 He sent messengers to Abak and Oma telling him, Gail's son of e b I and 00:10:07.848 --> 00:10:11.928 his brothers have come to live and check him, and now they're inciting 00:10:11.928 --> 00:10:13.698 the city to rebel against you. 00:10:14.448 --> 00:10:18.708 Come by night with an army and hide out in the fields in the morning. 00:10:18.708 --> 00:10:19.818 As soon as that it's daylight. 00:10:20.118 --> 00:10:24.438 Attack the city when Gail and those who are with him come out against you. 00:10:24.858 --> 00:10:26.538 You can do with them as you wish. 00:10:27.738 --> 00:10:32.118 So Abian, all his men went by night and split into four groups, 00:10:32.448 --> 00:10:34.308 stationing themselves around Shechem. 00:10:35.388 --> 00:10:39.378 Gail was standing at the city gates when Abbe Lakin, his army, came out of hiding. 00:10:40.068 --> 00:10:43.758 When Gail saw them, he said to zeal, look, there are people 00:10:43.758 --> 00:10:44.988 coming down from the hilltop. 00:10:46.008 --> 00:10:50.118 Zeal replied, it's just the shadows on the hills that look like men. 00:10:51.078 --> 00:10:55.518 But again, Gail said, no, people are coming down from the hills. 00:10:55.953 --> 00:10:59.073 And another group is coming down the road past the Diviner Oak. 00:11:00.543 --> 00:11:05.433 Then Zebo turned on him and asked, now, where is that big mouth of yours? 00:11:06.273 --> 00:11:11.613 Wasn't it you that said, who is a Bialek and why should we be his servants? 00:11:12.333 --> 00:11:14.943 The men you mocked are right outside the city. 00:11:15.273 --> 00:11:16.353 Go out and fight them. 00:11:17.973 --> 00:11:21.753 So Gail led the leading citizens of Shaka into battle against Ab Bialek. 00:11:22.398 --> 00:11:25.878 But AB Bialek chased him, and many of Shechem's men were wounded 00:11:26.268 --> 00:11:29.028 and fell along the road as they retreated to the city gate. 00:11:30.318 --> 00:11:35.358 Ab Bialek returned to Arua, and Zebo drove Gail and his brothers out of Shechem. 00:11:36.828 --> 00:11:39.858 The next day, the people of Shechem went out into the fields to battle. 00:11:40.488 --> 00:11:43.878 When Ab Bialek heard about it, he divided his man into three groups 00:11:44.058 --> 00:11:45.828 and set an ambush in the fields. 00:11:46.788 --> 00:11:50.928 When Abex saw the people coming out of the city, he and his men jumped up from 00:11:50.928 --> 00:11:53.208 their hiding places and attacked them. 00:11:54.068 --> 00:11:57.468 Ab Bialek and his group stormed the city gate to keep the men 00:11:57.468 --> 00:11:58.908 of Shechem from getting back in. 00:11:59.478 --> 00:12:02.778 While Abex other two groups cut them down in the fields. 00:12:03.148 --> 00:12:08.538 The battle went on all day before AB Abimelech finally captured the city. 00:12:09.378 --> 00:12:14.598 He killed the people level, the city, and scattered salt all over the ground. 00:12:15.708 --> 00:12:18.618 When the leading citizens who lived in the Tower of Shechem heard 00:12:18.618 --> 00:12:22.578 what had happened, they ran and hid in the temple of Baal Beith. 00:12:23.628 --> 00:12:27.078 Someone reported to ab Bilac that the citizens had gathered in the temple, 00:12:27.738 --> 00:12:29.748 so he led his forces to Mount Salman. 00:12:30.348 --> 00:12:33.528 He took an axe and chopped some branches from a tree, then 00:12:33.533 --> 00:12:35.478 put them on a shoulder quick. 00:12:35.658 --> 00:12:38.088 Do as I have done, he told his men. 00:12:38.898 --> 00:12:42.528 So each of them cut down some branches following a Bimal X example. 00:12:43.218 --> 00:12:47.628 They piled the branches against the walls of the temple and set them on fire. 00:12:48.798 --> 00:12:51.708 So all the people who had lived in the Tower of Shechem 00:12:51.708 --> 00:12:55.428 died about 1000 men and women. 00:12:57.048 --> 00:13:01.898 Then AB Bialek attacked the town of thi and captured it, but there was a strong 00:13:02.178 --> 00:13:07.638 tower inside the town, and all the men and women, the entire population fled to it. 00:13:08.598 --> 00:13:11.928 They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. 00:13:12.763 --> 00:13:14.913 AB Bialek followed them to attack the tower. 00:13:16.023 --> 00:13:19.413 But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, a woman on the roof 00:13:19.443 --> 00:13:24.333 dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. 00:13:25.263 --> 00:13:29.673 He quickly said to his young armor bearer, draw your sword and kill me. 00:13:30.213 --> 00:13:32.823 Don't let it be said that a woman killed ab bialek. 00:13:33.723 --> 00:13:37.413 So the young man ran him through with a sword and he died. 00:13:38.478 --> 00:13:41.688 When a Bialek man saw that he was dead, they disbanded 00:13:41.688 --> 00:13:43.008 and returned to their homes. 00:13:44.118 --> 00:13:48.498 In this way, God punished ab bialek for the evil he had done against his father. 00:13:48.498 --> 00:13:52.788 By murdering his 70 brothers, God also punished the men of 00:13:52.788 --> 00:13:54.318 Shechem for all their evil. 00:13:55.278 --> 00:13:59.208 So the curse of Jotham, son of Gideon was fulfilled. 00:14:01.353 --> 00:14:04.413 After Alek died, Tola son of Pira. 00:14:04.593 --> 00:14:08.013 Son of Dodo, was the next person to rescue Israel. 00:14:08.853 --> 00:14:12.543 He was from the tribe of Issachar, but lived in the town of Shamer 00:14:12.548 --> 00:14:13.923 in the hill country of Ira. 00:14:15.063 --> 00:14:17.283 He judged Israel for 23 years. 00:14:17.283 --> 00:14:20.403 When he died, he was buried in shamer 00:14:22.533 --> 00:14:27.663 After Tola died, Jayer from Gilead judged Israel for 22 years. 00:14:28.563 --> 00:14:34.023 His 30 sons rode around on 30 donkeys, and they owned 30 towns in the land of Gilead, 00:14:34.593 --> 00:14:36.363 which are still called the towns of Jer. 00:14:37.533 --> 00:14:39.873 When Jer died, he was buried in Cayman. 00:14:41.973 --> 00:14:44.853 This concludes today's immerse reading experience. 00:14:44.973 --> 00:14:45.873 Thank you for joining us.