Judges 3

Idolatry Leads to Servitude

11Now theseH428 are the nationsH1471 whichH834 the LordH3068 leftH5117, to testH5254 IsraelH3478 by them (that is, allH3605 whoH834 had not 2experiencedH3045 anyH3605 of the warsH4421 of CanaanH3667; 2onlyH7534 in orderH4616 that the generationsH1755 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 might 3be taughtH3925 warH4421, 4thoseH7534 whoH834 had not 5experiencedH3045 it formerlyH6440). 3These nations are: the fiveH2568 lordsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 and allH3605 the CanaanitesH3669 and the SidoniansH6722 and 6the HivitesH2340 who livedH3427 in MountH2022 LebanonH3844, from MountH2022 Baal-hermonH1179 as farH5704 as 7Lebo-hamathH935. 4They were for 89testingH5254 IsraelH3478, to findH3045 out if they would 10obeyH8085 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068, whichH834 He had commandedH6680 their fathersH1 11throughH3027 MosesH4872. 512The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 livedH3427 amongH7130 the CanaanitesH3669, the HittitesH2850, the AmoritesH567, the PerizzitesH6522, the HivitesH2340, and the JebusitesH2983; 6and 13they tookH3947 their daughtersH1323 for themselves as wivesH802, and gaveH5414 their own daughtersH1323 to their sonsH1121, and servedH5647 their godsH430.

7The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 didH6213 14whatH7451 was evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, and 15forgotH7911 the LordH3068 their GodH430 and 16servedH5647 the BaalsH1168 and the 17AsherothH842. 8Then the angerH639 of the LordH3068 was kindledH2734 against IsraelH3478, so that He soldH4376 them into the handsH3027 of Cushan-rishathaimH3573 kingH4428 of 18MesopotamiaH763; and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 servedH5647 Cushan-rishathaimH3573 eightH8083 yearsH8141.

The First Judge Delivers Israel

9When the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 criedH2199 to the LordH3068, the LordH3068 raisedH6965 up a delivererH3467 for the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 to deliverH3467 them, 19OthnielH6274 the sonH1121 of KenazH7073, Caleb’sH3612 youngerH6996 brotherH251. 1020The SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 upon him, and he judgedH8199 IsraelH3478. When he wentH3318 out to warH4421, the LordH3068 gaveH5414 Cushan-rishathaimH3573 kingH4428 of 21MesopotamiaH763 into his handH3027, so that 22he prevailedH5810H3027 overH5921 Cushan-rishathaimH3573. 11Then the landH776 hadH8252 restH8252 fortyH705 yearsH8141. And OthnielH6274 the sonH1121 of KenazH7073 diedH4191.

12Now the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 againH3254 23didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068. So 24the LordH3068 strengthenedH2388 EglonH5700 the kingH4428 of MoabH4124 againstH5921 IsraelH3478, becauseH5921H3588 they had doneH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068. 13And he gatheredH622 to himself the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 and AmalekH6002; and he wentH1980 and 25defeatedH5221 IsraelH3478, and they possessedH3423 26the cityH5892 of the palmH8558 treesH8558. 14The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 servedH5647 EglonH5700 the kingH4428 of MoabH4124 eighteenH8083H6240 yearsH8141.

Ehud Delivers from Moab

15But when the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 27criedH2199 to the LordH3068, the LordH3068 raisedH6965 up a delivererH3467 for them, EhudH164 the sonH1121 of GeraH1617, the BenjamiteH1145, a left-handedH334H3225H3027 manH376. And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 sentH7971 tributeH4503 by 28him to EglonH5700 the kingH4428 of MoabH4124. 16EhudH164 madeH6213 himself a swordH2719 which had twoH8147 edgesH6310, a cubitH1574 in lengthH753, and he boundH2296 it on his rightH3225 thighH3409 underH8478 his cloakH4055. 17He presentedH7126 the tributeH4503 to EglonH5700 kingH4428 of MoabH4124. Now EglonH5700 was a veryH3966 fatH1277 manH376. 18It cameH1961 about whenH3512 he had finishedH3615 presentingH7126 the tributeH4503, that he sentH7971 awayH7971 the peopleH5971 who had carriedH5375 the tributeH4503. 19But he himselfH1931 turnedH7725 backH7725 from the idolsH6456 whichH834 were at GilgalH1537, and saidH559, “I have a secretH5643 messageH1697 for you, O kingH4428.” And he saidH559, “KeepH2013 silenceH2013.” And allH3605 who attendedH5975 him leftH3318 him. 20EhudH164 cameH935 to him while he was sittingH3427 aloneH905 in his coolH4747 roofH5944 chamberH5944. And EhudH164 saidH559, “I have a messageH1697 from GodH430 for you.” And he aroseH6965 from his seatH3678. 21EhudH164 stretchedH7971 out his leftH8040 handH8040, tookH3947 the swordH2719 from his rightH3225 thighH3409 and thrustH8628 it into his bellyH990. 22The handleH5325 alsoH1571 wentH935 in afterH310 the bladeH3851, and the fatH2459 closedH5462 overH5704 the bladeH3851, for he did not drawH8025 the swordH2719 out of his bellyH990; and the refuseH6574 cameH3318 out. 23Then EhudH164 wentH3318 out into the vestibuleH4528 and shutH5462 the doorsH1817 of the roofH5944 chamberH5944 behindH1157 him, and lockedH5274 them.

24When he had goneH3318 out, his servantsH5650 cameH935 and lookedH7200, and beholdH2009, the doorsH1817 of the roofH5944 chamberH5944 were lockedH5274; and they saidH559, “29He is onlyH389 30relievingH5526H7272 himself in the coolH4747 roomH2315.” 25They waitedH2342 untilH5704 they 31becameH954 anxiousH954; but beholdH2009, he did not openH6605 the doorsH1817 of the roofH5944 chamberH5944. Therefore they tookH3947 the keyH4668 and openedH6605 them, and beholdH2009, their masterH113 had fallenH5307 to the 32floorH776 deadH4191.

26Now EhudH164 escapedH4422 whileH5704 they were delayingH4102, and he passedH5674 by the idolsH6456 and escapedH4422 to SeirahH8167. 27It cameH1961 about when he had arrivedH935, that 33he blewH8628 the trumpetH7782 in the hillH2022 countryH2022 of EphraimH669; and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 wentH3381 downH3381 with him from the hillH2022 countryH2022, and he was in frontH6440 of them. 28He saidH559 to them, “PursueH7291 them, for the LordH3068 has givenH5414 your enemiesH340 the MoabitesH4124 into your handsH3027.” So they wentH3381 downH3381 afterH310 him and seizedH3920 34the fordsH4569 of the JordanH3383 opposite MoabH4124, and did not allowH5414 anyoneH376 to crossH5674. 29They struckH5221 downH5221 at that timeH6256 about tenH6235 thousandH505 MoabitesH4124, allH3605 robustH8082 and valiantH2428 menH376; and noH3808 oneH376 escapedH4422. 30So MoabH4124 was subduedH3665 that dayH3117 underH8478 the handH3027 of IsraelH3478. And the landH776 was undisturbedH8252 for eightyH8084 yearsH8141.

Shamgar Delivers from Philistines

31AfterH310 him cameH1961 35ShamgarH8044 the sonH1121 of AnathH6067, who struckH5221 downH5221 sixH8337 hundredH3967 PhilistinesH6430 with an oxgoadH4451; and he alsoH1571 savedH3467 IsraelH3478.