Judges 3

Nations Left to Test Israel

1TheseH428 are the nationsH1471 thatH834 the LORDH3068 leftH5117 to testH5254 allH3605 the IsraelitesH3478 whoH834 had notH3808 knownH3045 anyH3605 of the warsH4421 in CanaanH3667, 2if onlyH7535 to teachH3925 warfareH4421 to the subsequent generationsH1755 of IsraelH1121H3478, especiallyH7535 to those whoH834 had notH3808 known itH3045 formerlyH6440: 3the fiveH2568 rulersH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430, allH3605 the CanaanitesH3669, the SidoniansH6722, and the HivitesH2340 who livedH3427 in the mountainsH2022 of LebanonH3844 from MountH2022 Baal-hermonH1179 toH5704 Lebo-hamathH935H2574.

4These nations wereH1961 left to testH5254 the IsraelitesH3478, to find outH3045 whether they would keepH8085 the commandmentsH4687 of the LORDH3068, whichH834 He had givenH6680 their fathersH1 throughH3027 MosesH4872. 5Thus the IsraelitesH1121H3478 continued to liveH3427 amongH7130 the CanaanitesH3669, HittitesH2850, AmoritesH567, PerizzitesH6522, HivitesH2340, and JebusitesH2983. 6And they tookH3947 the daughtersH1323 of these people in marriageH802, gaveH5414 their own daughtersH1323 to their sonsH1121, and servedH5647 their godsH430.

Othniel

7So the IsraelitesH1121H3478 didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068; they forgotH7911 the LORDH3068 their GodH430 and servedH5647 the BaalsH1168 and the AsherahsH842. 8Then the angerH639 of the LORDH3068 burnedH2734 against IsraelH3478, and He sold themH4376 into the handH3027 of Cushan-rishathaimH3573 kingH4428 of Aram-naharaimH763,1 and the IsraelitesH1121H3478 servedH5647 him eightH8083 yearsH8141.

9But when the IsraelitesH1121H3478 cried outH2199 toH413 the LORDH3068, He raised upH6965 OthnielH6274 sonH1121 of Caleb’sH3612 youngerH6996H4480 brotherH251 KenazH7073 as a delivererH3467 to saveH3467 them. 10The SpiritH7307 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 upon himH5921, and he became Israel’sH3478 judgeH8199 and went outH3318 to warH4421. And the LORDH3068 deliveredH5414 Cushan-rishathaimH3573 kingH4428 of AramH758 into the handH3027 of Othniel, who prevailedH3573H5810H3027 againstH5921 himH3573.

11So the landH776 had restH8252 for fortyH705 yearsH8141, until OthnielH6274 sonH1121 of KenazH7073 diedH4191.

Ehud

12Once againH3254 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068. So HeH3068 gave EglonH5700 kingH4428 of MoabH4124 powerH2388 overH5921 IsraelH3478, becauseH5921H3588 they had doneH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068. 13After enlisting the AmmonitesH1121H5983 and AmalekitesH6002 to join forcesH622 with himH413, Eglon attackedH1980 and defeatedH5221 IsraelH3478, taking possession ofH3423 the CityH5892 of PalmsH8558.2

14The IsraelitesH1121H3478 servedH5647 EglonH5700 kingH4428 of MoabH4124 eighteenH8083H6240 yearsH8141. 15And againH1121H3478 they cried outH2199 toH413 the LORDH3068, and HeH3068 raised upH6965 EhudH164 sonH1121 of GeraH1617, a left-handedH334H3027H3225 BenjamiteH1121H1145H376, as their delivererH3467. SoH3478 they sentH7971 himH3027 with tributeH4503 to EglonH5700 kingH4428 of MoabH4124.

16Now EhudH164 had madeH6213 for himself a double-edgedH8147H6366 swordH2719 a cubitH1574 longH753.3 He strappedH2296 it toH5921 his rightH3225 thighH3409 underH8478 his cloakH4055 17and broughtH7126 the tributeH4503 to EglonH5700 kingH4428 of MoabH4124, whoH5700 was an obeseH3966H1277 manH376.

18

AfterH834 Ehud had finishedH3615 presentingH7126 the tributeH4503, he ushered outH7971 thoseH5971 who had carriedH5375 itH4503. 19But upon reachingH4480 the idolsH6456 nearH854 GilgalH1537, he himselfH1931 turned backH7725 and saidH559, “I have a secretH5643 messageH1697 for youH413, O kingH4428.”

“SilenceH2013,” said the kingH559, and allH3605 his attendantsH5975H5921 left himH3318.

20Then EhudH164 approached himH935H413 while heH1931 was sittingH3427 aloneH905 in the coolness ofH4747 his upper roomH5944. “I have a wordH1697 from GodH430 for youH413,” EhudH164 saidH559, and the king roseH6965 fromH5921 his seatH3678.

21And EhudH164 reachedH7971 with his leftH8040 handH3027, pulledH3947 the swordH2719 fromH5921 his rightH3225 thighH3409, and plungedH8628 it into Eglon’s bellyH990. 22EvenH1571 the handleH5325 sank inH935 afterH310 the bladeH3851, and Eglon’s fatH2459 closed inH5462 overH1157 itH3851, so thatH3588 Ehud did notH3808 withdrawH8025 the swordH2719 from his bellyH990. And Eglon’s bowelsH6574 emptiedH3318. 23Then EhudH164 went outH3318 through the porchH4528, closingH5462 and lockingH5274 the doorsH1817 of the upper roomH5944 behind himH1157.

24After EhudH1931 was goneH3318, Eglon’s servantsH5650 came inH935 and foundH2009 the doorsH1817 of the upper roomH5944 lockedH5274H389. “He must beH1931 relieving himselfH5526H7272 in the coolH4747 roomH2315,” they saidH559. 25So they waitedH2342 untilH5704 they became worriedH954 and sawH2009 that he had still notH369 openedH6605 the doorsH1817 of the upper roomH5944. Then they tookH3947 the keyH4668 and openedH6605 the doors—and thereH2009 was their lordH113 lyingH5307 deadH4191 on the floorH776.

26Ehud, howeverH164, had escapedH4422 whileH5704 the servants waitedH4102. HeH1931 passed byH5674 the idolsH6456 and escapedH4422 to SeirahH8167.

27

On arrivingH935 in Seirah, he blewH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 throughout the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669. The IsraelitesH1121H3478 came downH3381 with himH5973 fromH4480 the hillsH2022, and he became their leaderH1931H6440. 28“FollowH7291 meH310,” he told themH559H413, “forH3588 the LORDH3068 has deliveredH5414 your enemiesH341 the MoabitesH4124 into your handH3027.”

So they followed him downH3381H310 and seizedH3920 the fordsH4569 of the JordanH3383 leading to MoabH4124, and they did notH3808 allowH5414 anyoneH376 to cross overH5674. 29At thatH1931 timeH6256 they struck downH5221 about tenH6235 thousandH505 MoabitesH4124, allH3605 robustH8082 andH3605 valiantH2428 menH376. NotH3808 oneH376 of them escapedH4422H376.

30So MoabH4124 was subduedH3665 underH8478 the handH3027 of IsraelH3478 thatH1931 dayH3117, and the landH776 had restH8252 for eightyH8084 yearsH8141.

Shamgar

31After EhudH310 cameH1961 ShamgarH8044 sonH1121 of AnathH6067. And he tooH1931 savedH3467H1571 IsraelH3478, striking downH5221 sixH8337 hundredH3967H376 PhilistinesH6430 with an oxgoadH4451H1241.