|
1.
1
THE copy of the words of Judah, what things he spake to his sons before he died.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
2
They gathered themselves together, therefore, and came to him, and he said to them: Hearken, my children, to Judah your father.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
3
I was the fourth son born to my father Jacob; and Leah my mother named me Judah, saying, I give thanks to the Lord, because He hath given me a fourth son also.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
4
I was swift in my youth, and obedient to my father in everything.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
5
And I honoured my mother and my mother's sister.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
6
And it came to pass, when I became a man, that my father blessed me, saying, Thou shalt be a king, prospering in all things.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
7
And the Lord showed me favour in all my works both in the field and in the house.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
8
I know that I raced a hind, and caught it, and prepared the meat for my father, and he did eat.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
9
And the roes I used to master in the chase, and overtake all that was in the plains.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
10
A wild mare I overtook, and caught it and tamed it.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
11
I slew a lion and plucked a kid out of its mouth.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
12
I took a bear by its paw and hurled it down the cliff, and it was crushed.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
13
I outran the wild boar, and seizing it as I ran, I tore it in sunder.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
14
A leopard in Hebron leaped upon my dog, and I caught it by the tail, and hurled it on the rocks, and it was broken in twain
|
|
|
|
|
1.
15
I found a wild ox feeding in the fields, and seizing it by the horns, and whirling it round and stunning it, I cast it from me and slew it.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
16
And when the two kings of the Canaanites came sheathed, in armour against our flocks, and much people with them, single handed I rushed upon the king of Hazor, and smote him on the greives and dragged him down, and so I slew him.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
17
And the other, the king of Tappuah, as he sat upon his horse, I slew, and so I scattered all his people.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
18
Achor, the king, a man of giant stature, I found, hurling javelins before and behind as he sat on horseback, and I took up a stone of sixty pounds weight, and hurled it and smote his horse, and killed it.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
19
And I fought with this other for two hours; and I clave his shield in twain, and I chopped off his feet, and killed him.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
20
And as I was stripping off his breastplate, behold nine men his companions began to fight with me,
|
|
|
|
|
1.
21
And I wound my garment on my hand; and I slung stones at them, and killed four of them, and the rest fled.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
22
And Jacob my father slew Beelesath, king of all the kings, a giant in strength, twelve cubits high.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
23
And fear fell upon them, and they ceased warring against us.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
24
Therefore my father was free from anxiety in the wars when I was with my brethren.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
25
For he saw in a vision concerning me that an angel of might followed me everywhere, that I should not be overcome.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
26
And in the south there came upon us a greater war than that in Shechem; and I joined in battle array with my brethren, and pursued a thousand men, and slew of them two hundred men and four kings.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
27
And I went up upon the wall, and I slew four mighty men.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
28
And so we captured Hazor, and took all the spoil.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
29
And the next day we departed to Aretan, a city strong and walled and inaccessible, threatening us with death.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
30
But I and Gad approached on the east side of the city, and Reuben and Levi on the west.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
31
And they that were upon the wall, thinking that we were alone, were drawn down against us.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
32
And so my brothers secretly climbed up the wall on both sides by stakes, and entered the city, while the men knew it not.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
33
And we took it with the edge of the sword.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
34
And as for those who had taken refuge in the tower, we set fire to the tower and took both it and, them.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
35
And as we were departing the men of Tappuah seized our spoil, and seeing this we fought with them.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
36
And we slew them. all and recovered our spoil.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
37
And when I was at the waters of Kozeba, the men of Jobel came against us to battle.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
38
And we fought with them and routed them; and their allies from Shiloh we slew, and we did not leave them power to come in against us.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
39
And the men of Makir came upon us the fifth day, to seize our spoil; and we attacked them and overcame them in fierce battle: for there was a host of mighty men amongst them, and we slew them before they had gone up the ascent.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
40
And when we came to their city their women rolled upon us stones from the brow of the hill on which the city stood.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
41
And I and Simeon had ourselves behind the town, and seized upon the heights, and destroyed this city also.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
42
And the next day it was told us that the king of the city of Gaash with. a mighty host was coming against us.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
43
I, therefore, and Dan feigned ourselves to be Amorites, and as allies went into their city.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
44
And in the depth of night our brethren came and we opened to them the gates; and we destroyed all the men and their substance, and we took for a prey all that was theirs, and their three walls we cast down.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
45
And we drew near to Thamna, where was all the substance of the hostile kings.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
46
Then being insulted by them, I was therefore wroth, and rushed against them to the summit; and they kept slinging against me stones and darts.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
47
And had not Dan my brother aided me, they would have slain me.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
48
We came upon them, therefore, with wrath, and they all fled; and passing by another way, they fought my father, and he made peace with them.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
49
And we did to them no hurt, and they became tributary to us, and we restored to them their spoil.
|
|
|
|
|
1.
50
And I built Thamna, and my father built Pabael.
|
|
|
|
