Judges 3

1 These are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,

2 if only to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel, especially to those who had not known it formerly:

3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

4 These nations were left to test the Israelites, to find out whether they would keep the commandments of the LORD, which He had given their fathers through Moses.

5 Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

6 And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

9 But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, He raised up Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz as a deliverer to save them.

10 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge and went out to war. And the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into the hand of Othniel, who prevailed against him.

11 So the land had rest for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. So He gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 After enlisting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join forces with him, Eglon attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the City of Palms.

14 The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 And again they cried out to the LORD, and He raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite, as their deliverer. So they sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

16 Now Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak

17 and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man.

18 After Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he ushered out those who had carried it.

19 But upon reaching the idols near Gilgal, he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” “Silence,” said the king, and all his attendants left him.

20 Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.

21 And Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.

22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, and Eglon’s fat closed in over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly. And Eglon’s bowels emptied.

23 Then Ehud went out through the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upper room behind him.

24 After Ehud was gone, Eglon’s servants came in and found the doors of the upper room locked. “He must be relieving himself in the cool room,” they said.

25 So they waited until they became worried and saw that he had still not opened the doors of the upper room. Then they took the key and opened the doors—and there was their lord lying dead on the floor.

26 Ehud, however, had escaped while the servants waited. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.

27 On arriving in Seirah, he blew the ram’s horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hills, and he became their leader.

28 “Follow me,” he told them, “for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and they did not allow anyone to cross over.

29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men. Not one of them escaped.

30 So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.

31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. And he too saved Israel, striking down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad.

1 ¶ Now these [are] the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, [even] as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

3 [Namely], five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

8 ¶ 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.

9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 ¶ And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon [was] a very fat man.

18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that [were] by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of [his] seat.

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.

24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour [were] locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened [them]: and, behold, their lord [was] fallen down dead on the earth.

26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

31 ¶ And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

1 These are the heathen whom the LORD left to try Israel, who knew not the wars of Canaan,

2 And that the families of the children of Israel might know, and learn to fight, who knew nothing of it before:

3 The five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites, that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon even unto Hemath.

4 The same remained to try Israel in them, that it might be known whether they obeyed the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites,

6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods;

7 And they did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

8 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushanrishathaim eight years.

9 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD; and the LORD raised up unto them a Saviour to deliver them, Athniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's youngest brother.

10 And the Spirit of the LORD was in him, and he became a judge in Israel, and went out to battle. And the LORD delivered into his hand Cushan-rishathaim king of Syria, that his hand might be strong upon him.

11 And the land was quiet forty years. And Athniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 But the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD. Then the LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they did evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon, and the Amalekites. And he went and smote Israel, and took the city of palm trees.

14 And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 And they cried unto the LORD; and the LORD raised up unto them a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, which was left And when the children of Israel by the same gift sent Eglon the king of Moab,

16 And Ehud made him a two-edged sword a cubit long, and girded it under his garment upon his right thigh;

17 And he brought the present unto Eglon the king of Moab. And Eglon was a very fat man.

18 And when he had delivered up the present, he left the people that bare the present,

19 And he returned from the idols at Gilgal, and said, I have a secret thing to tell thee, O king. And he commanded to hold their peace, and all that were about him departed from him.

20 And Ehud came in unto him. And he sat in the summerhouse, which was for him alone. And Ehud said: I have GOD's word to thee. And he arose from his seat.

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly,

22 That the hilt also went in by the edge, and the fat closed up the hilt, (for he drew not the sword out of his belly,) that the dung went out of him.

23 But Ehud went out of the hall, and shut the door behind him, and shut it. 24: And when he was gone out, his servants came in, and saw that the door of the summer chamber was shut, and said: He may have gone to the chair in the chamber of the summer house.

25 And when they had tarried till they were ashamed, (for no man opened the door of the bower,) they took the key, and opened it: and, behold, their lord lay dead upon the earth.

26 And Ehud escaped while they were departing, and passed over before the idols, and escaped unto Seirath.

27 And when he was come in, he blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim. And the children of Israel went with him out of the mount, and he before them;

28 And said unto them: Pursue me: for the LORD hath delivered into your hand Moab your enemies. And they pursued after him, and took the ford of Jordan, which goeth to Moab, and suffered no man to pass over.

29 And Moab at that time smote ten thousand men, all the best men, and all the mighty men of valour; and not one escaped.

30 So Moab was subdued at that time under the hand of the children of Israel. And the land was quiet fourscore years.

31 And after that was Samgar the son of Anath, which smote six hundred Philistines with a bullock, and delivered Israel also.