3:1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan
3:2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):
3:3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.
3:4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD’S commands, which he had given their forefathers through Moses.
3:5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
3:6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
3:7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
3:8 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.
3:9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them.
3:10 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.
3:11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
3:12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.
3:13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.
3:14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
3:15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer–Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
3:16 Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.
3:17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.
3:18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way the men who had carried it.
3:19 At the idols near Gilgal he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Quiet!” And all his attendants left him.
3:20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat,
3:21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly.
3:22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it.
3:23 Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
3:24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the house.”
3:25 They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.
3:26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.
3:27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.
3:28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and, taking possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab, they allowed no one to cross over.
3:29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not a man escaped.
3:30 That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.
3:31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.
3:1 And these are the nations that Jehovah left in order that through them He might test Israel (that is, all who had not known all the battles of Canaan),
3:2 But only so that the generations of the children of Israel might learn to know war, at least those who had not previously known the battles:
3:3 The five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who dwelt on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
3:4 And they were for the testing of Israel, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Jehovah, which He commanded their fathers through Moses.
3:5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
3:6 And they took their daughters as their wives and gave their own daughters to their sons, and they served their gods.
3:7 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and they forgot Jehovah their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
3:8 Therefore the anger of Jehovah burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim the king of Mesopotamia. And the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
3:9 Then the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah raised up a savior for the children of Israel, who saved them, that is, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb s younger brother.
3:10 And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to battle, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim the king of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.
3:11 And the land had rest forty years.
3:12 Then the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. And Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel because they did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.
3:13 And he gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself and went and struck Israel, and they took possession of the city of palms.
3:14 And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
3:15 Then the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah raised up a savior for them, that is, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. Now the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon the king of Moab by him.
3:16 And Ehud made himself a dagger that had two edges, a cubit long. And he strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes.
3:17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon the king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)
3:18 And when he finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
3:19 But he himself returned from the sculptured idols at Gilgal and said, I have a secret message for you, O king. And he said, Hush. And all those who attended to him went out from him.
3:20 And when Ehud came to him, he was sitting alone in his cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God for you. And he rose up from his seat.
3:21 And Ehud reached with his left hand and took the dagger from his right thigh, and he drove it into his belly.
3:22 And the hilt also went in, after the blade; and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger from his belly. And he went out into the courtyard.
3:23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and he closed the doors of the upper room on Eglon and locked them.
3:24 And when he had gone out, Eglon s servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, He must be relieving himself in the cool chamber.
3:25 And they waited until they were ashamed, but still he was not opening the doors of the upper room. Then they took the key and opened them. And there was their lord, fallen to the ground dead.
3:26 And Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed by the sculptured idols and escaped to Seirah.
3:27 And when he arrived, he blew the horn in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came down with him from the hill country, and he was before them.
3:28 And he said to them, Follow closely after me, for Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites; and they let no man cross over.
3:29 And they struck about ten thousand Moabites at that time, all stout and all valiant men; and no man escaped.
3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years.
3:31 And after him there was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred Philistines with an ox goad; and he also saved Israel.