Oxford University Press
London 1932
II
Here beginneth the Second Series, from the Patriarchs to the Judges.
ISHO’ (JOSHUA)
AFTER MOSES the prophet, ISHO’ (JOSHUA) the son of NON, his disciple, ruled the people, according to EUSEBIUS and ANDRONICUS, twenty-seven years, and according to ANIANUS twenty-five years. And when JOSHUA was eighty-three years old he received the rod of rule from MOSES the Great, and he brought the people into the land of promise; and he destroyed seven peoples of the CANAANITES. And in his tenth year, that is to say of his rule, he divided the inheritance for the people. He died at the age of one hundred and ten years.
PHINEHAS
After JOSHUA, the son of NON, the priests (or, elders) governed the people. Now the Book doth not show the number of their years, but AFRICANUS saith that they ruled for thirty years. And ANIANUS saith that PHINEHAS, the Zealot, the son of ELIEZAR, the priest, governed the people for twenty-four years.
KUSHAN
KUSHAN the wicked had dominion over the peoples of the people for eight years, and he was killed by ‘ATHNI’EL (OTHNIEL).
OTHNIEL
After KUSHAN, OTHNIEL judged the people forty years, and in the days of OTHNIEL cities were built in BETHUNIA (BITHYNIA), MALOS, PAPOS, TASOS, KALISTA, [and] MARONDA.
EGLON
After OTHNIEL, ‘EGLON, the MOABITE, ruled the people after the manner of a tyrant for eighteen years, and he was killed by ‘AHOR (EHUD), the son of GIRA.
AHOR (EHUD)
After ‘EGLON, ‘AHOR (EHUD) the son of GIRA judged the people for sixty-two years; those who say eighty years include with them the eighteen years of [the exile of] ‘EGLON. In the time of ‘AHOR the ‘Beth Din’ (i.e. temple) of ‘ARIOS PAGHOS (AREOPAGUS) was built in ATHENS; and LACEDEMONIA was built, and HALAB (ALEPPO) was built by BALKOS, the Assyrian king.
SHAMGHAR
After ‘AHOR (EHUD), SHAMGHAR the son of ‘ANATH judged the people for eighteen years. This man killed sixty men of the PHILISTINE chiefs with a goad for bulls–in [another] manuscript [we read] six hundred.
NABHIN (JABIN)
After SHAMGHAR, NABHIN (JABIN), king of HASOR, [judged the people for] twenty years. The name of the captain of the host of this NABHIN was SISRA, and he had ninety (nine hundred in Judges iv. 3) chariots of iron; his head was smashed in by DEBORAH the prophetess and he perished.
DEBORAH and BARAK
After NABHIN (JABIN) came DEBORAH and BARAK, [they ruled for] forty years, DEBORAH and BARAK sang the song of [16] praise for the deliverance of the Lord.
MIDIANITES
After DEBORAH and BARAK, the MIDIANITES ruled the people in a cruel manner for seven (or, seventy) years-until GED’ON (GIDEON) destroyed them.
GIDEON
After the MIDIANITES, GIDEON judged the people for forty years. Unto GIDEON were born seventy sons. In [his] time there reigned in THEBES , APOLON (APOLLO?), who by the music of his lyre used to coax the stones, that is to say, the hearts that were heavy and cruel.
ABIMELECH
After GIDEON [came] ABIMELECH his son, who was born of a concubine. And he slew his seventy brethren and judged the people for three years.
TOL’A
After ABIMELECH, TOL’A the son of POA [judged] the people for twenty years. And in the twentieth year of his [rule] the city of TARSOS (TARSUS) was built by PRISOS (PARSOS) the son of DANA, and KARKIDON (CARTHAGE) also was built and ILION (ILIUM) was reduced to subjection, but others say that it was subjugated in the days of SHEMSHON (SAMSON).
YAIR, the GILEADITE
After TOL’A, YAIR, the GILEADITE, judged the people twenty-two years.
AMMONITES
After YAIR the AMMONITES ruled the HEBREWS in a cruel fashion for eighteen years, and they oppressed the HEBREWS sorely until they were conquered by NAPHTAH (JEPHTHAH).
JEPHTHAH
After the AMMONITES, JEPHTHAH [ruled the people] for six years. Those [who say] twenty-four years include the eighteen years of the AMMONITES with the six years. Now when the HEBREWS were sorely oppressed by the AMMONITES the dwellers in GILEAD went to JEPHTHAH, after they had driven him out from among them, and brought him [back] and he became their governor. It was he who having fought and conquered offered up his daughter as a sacrifice, according to his vow which cannot be applauded.
ABHISAN
After JEPHTHAH, ‘ABHISAN [ruled] seven years. Some of the writers of histories never mention this name at all.
ALON
After ‘ ABHISAN, ‘ALON, the ZEBULONITE [ruled] ten years. JOHN of YATREB says seven [years], and this [name also] is not [found] in the commentary of the Septuagint.
AKHRON
After ‘ALON , ‘AKHRON [ruled] eight years. In the seventh year of this man there rose up ‘ANIAS (AENEAS) the first king of the LATINS, that is to say, the RHOMAYE (Byzantine GREEKS), who were the FRANKS; [according to some he reigned] three years, and according to others eight.
PHILISTINES
After ‘AKHRON the PHILISTINES ruled the people cruelly for forty years. EUSEBIUS doth not admit these, but ‘ANIANUS sets down forty years and ANDRONICUS says twenty years only.
After the PHILISTINES, SAMSON the NAZARITE, of the tribe of DAN, judged the people twenty [17] years. And in his third year he began to wage war against the PHILISTINES, and in his fifth year took place the affair of RA’OTH (RUTH), the MOABITESS.
ELDERS
After SAMSON the ELDERS ruled the people for forty years, according to what AFRICANUS stateth, because there was peace and quietness, and there was no need for a man to stand at the head of an army. ANDRONICUS says ten years, and twenty years is written in the Septuagint, and others have written twelve.
ELI
After the ELDERS, ELI the priest judged the people for twenty years, according to what the Septuagint saith, but the HEBREWS say forty years. And in the eighteenth year of his rule SAMUEL the prophet was born. And in the twentieth year of ELI, SAMUEL was brought before ELI as a votive offering.
SAMUEL
After ELI the priest, SAMUEL the prophet judged the people for twenty years. After the death of ELI the priest, the Ark of the Lord was in the house [of] ‘AMINADABH (‘ABHINADABH). In the twentieth year of the rule of SAMUEL the children of ISRAEL asked for a king.