Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man. And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.