Judges 3

Idolatry Leads to Servitude

11Now theseH428 are the nationsH1471 that the LordH3068 leftH5117, to testH5254 IsraelH3478 by them (that is, allH3605 the Israelites whoH834 had not 2experiencedH3045 anyH3605 of the warsH4421 of CanaanH3667; 2onlyH7534 inH4616 orderH4616 thatH4616 the generationsH1755 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 might 3be taughtH3925 warH4421, 4thoseH7534 whoH834 had not 5experiencedH3045 it previouslyH6440). 3These nations are: the fiveH2568 governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 and allH3605 the CanaanitesH3669 and the SidoniansH6722, and 6the HivitesH2340 who livedH3427 on MountH2022 LebanonH3844, from MountH2022 Baal-hermonH1179 as farH5704 as 7Lebo-hamathH935. 4They were left to 8testH5254 IsraelH3478 by them, to findH3045 outH3045 if they would 9obeyH8085 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068, whichH834 He had commandedH6680 their fathersH1 10throughH3027 MosesH4872. 511The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 livedH3427 amongH7130 the CanaanitesH3669, the HittitesH2850, the AmoritesH567, the PerizzitesH6522, the HivitesH2340, and the JebusitesH2983; 6and 12they tookH3947 their daughtersH1323 for themselves as wivesH802, and gaveH5414 their own daughtersH1323 to their sonsH1121, and servedH5647 their godsH430.

7So the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 didH6213 13whatH7451 wasH7451 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, and they 14forgotH7911 the LordH3068 their GodH430 and 15servedH5647 the BaalsH1168 and the 16AsherothH842. 8Then the angerH639 of the LordH3068 was kindledH2734 against IsraelH3478, so that He soldH4376 them into the handH3027 of Cushan-rishathaimH3573, kingH4428 of 17MesopotamiaH763; and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 servedH5647 Cushan-rishathaimH3573 for eightH8083 yearsH8141.

The First Judge Frees Israel

9But the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 criedH2199 outH2199 to the LordH3068, and the LordH3068 raisedH6965 upH6965 a delivererH3467 for the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 to setH3467 them freeH3467, 18OthnielH6274 the sonH1121 of KenazH7073, Caleb’sH3612 youngerH6996H4480 brotherH251. 10And 19the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 upon him, and he judgedH8199 IsraelH3478. When he wentH3318 to warH4421, the LordH3068 handedH5414H3027 overH5414 to him Cushan-rishathaimH3573 kingH4428 of 20MesopotamiaH763, so that 21he prevailedH5810H3027 overH5921 Cushan-rishathaimH3573. 11Then the landH776 wasH8252 atH8252 restH8252 for fortyH705 yearsH8141. And OthnielH6274 the sonH1121 of KenazH7073 diedH4191.

12Now the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 againH3254 22didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068. So 23the 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 24defeatedH5221 IsraelH3478, and they tookH3423 possessionH3423 of 25the cityH5892 of the palmH8558 treesH8558. 14And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 servedH5647 EglonH5700 the kingH4428 of MoabH4124 for eighteenH8083H6240 yearsH8141.

Ehud Kills Eglon

15But when the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 26criedH2199 outH2199 to the LordH3068, the LordH3068 raisedH6965 upH6965 a delivererH3467 for them, EhudH164 the sonH1121 of GeraH1617, the BenjaminiteH1145, a left-handedH334H3225H3027 manH376. And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 sentH7971 tributeH4503 by 27him to EglonH5700 the kingH4428 of MoabH4124. 16Now EhudH164 madeH6213 himself a swordH2719 which had twoH8147 edgesH6310, a cubitH1574 in lengthH753, and he strappedH2296 it on his rightH3225 thighH3409 underH8478 his cloakH4055. 17Then he presentedH7126 the tributeH4503 to EglonH5700 kingH4428 of MoabH4124. Now EglonH5700 was a veryH3966 fatH1277 manH376. 18And it cameH1961 aboutH1961, whenH3512 he had finishedH3615 presentingH7126 the tributeH4503, that Ehud 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 the king saidH559, “SilenceH2013!” And allH3605 who were attendingH5975 him leftH3318 him. 20Then EhudH164 cameH935 to him while he was sittingH3427 in his coolH4747 roofH5944 chamberH5944 aloneH905. And EhudH164 saidH559, “I have a messageH1697 from GodH430 for you.” And he gotH6965 upH6965 from his seatH3678. 21Then EhudH164 reachedH7971 outH7971 with his leftH8040 handH8040 and tookH3947 the swordH2719 from his rightH3225 thighH3409, and thrustH8628 it into his bellyH990. 22The hiltH5325 of the sword alsoH1571 wentH935 inH935 afterH310 the bladeH3851, and the fatH2459 closedH5462 overH5704 the bladeH3851 becauseH3588 he did not pullH8025 the swordH2719 outH8025 of his bellyH990; and 28the refuseH6574 cameH3318 outH3318. 23Then EhudH164 wentH3318 outH3318 into the 29vestibuleH4528, and shutH5462 the doorsH1817 of the roofH5944 chamberH5944 behindH1157 him, and lockedH5274 them.

24When he had leftH3318, 30the king’s servantsH5650 cameH935 and lookedH7200, and beholdH2009, the doorsH1817 of the roofH5944 chamberH5944 were lockedH5274; and they saidH559, “31UndoubtedlyH389 he is 32relievingH5526H7272 himself in the coolH4747 roomH2315.” 25So they waitedH3176 33untilH5704 it would have beenH954 shamefulH954 to wait longer; but beholdH2009, he did not openH6605 the doorsH1817 of the roofH5944 chamberH5944. So they tookH3947 the keyH4668 and openedH6605 them, and beholdH2009, their masterH113 had fallenH5307 to the 34floorH776 deadH4191.

26Now EhudH164 escapedH4422 whileH5704 they were hesitatingH4102, and he passedH5674 byH5674 the idolsH6456 and escapedH4422 to SeirahH8167. 27And 35when he arrivedH935, 36he 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 37leadingH6440 them. 28Then he saidH559 to them, “PursueH7291H310 them, for the LordH3068 has handedH5414H3027 your enemiesH340 the MoabitesH4124 overH5414 to you.” So they wentH3381 downH3381 afterH310 him and tookH3920 controlH3920 of 38the crossingH4569 placesH4569 of the JordanH3383 opposite MoabH4124, and did not allowH5414 anyoneH376 to crossH5674. 29They struckH5221 andH5221 killedH5221 about tenH6235 thousandH505 MoabitesH4124 at that timeH6256, allH3605 robustH8082 and valiantH2428 menH376; and noH3808 oneH376 escapedH4422. 30So MoabH4124 was subduedH3665 that dayH3117 underH8478 the handH3027 of IsraelH3478. And the landH776 wasH8252 atH8252 restH8252 for eightyH8084 yearsH8141.

Shamgar Saves Israel

31Now afterH310 him cameH1961 39ShamgarH8044 the sonH1121 of AnathH6067, who struckH5221 andH5221 killedH5221 sixH8337 hundredH3967 PhilistinesH6430 with an 40oxgoadH4451; and he alsoH1571 savedH3467 IsraelH3478.