1 N ow these are the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not previously experienced war in Canaan;

Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to test Israel by them ( that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan;

2 I t was only that the generations of the Israelites might know and be taught war, at least those who previously knew nothing of it.

only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly).

3 T he remaining nations are: the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.

4 T hey were for the testing and proving of Israel to know whether Israel would listen and obey the commandments of the Lord, which He commanded their fathers by Moses.

They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.

5 A nd the Israelites dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites;

The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

6 A nd they married their daughters and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

and they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 A nd the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord and forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.

The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

8 S o the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the Israelites served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.

Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. The First Judge Delivers Israel

9 B ut when the Israelites cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel to deliver them, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

When the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

10 T he Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand and his hand prevailed over Chushan-rishathaim.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

11 A nd the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

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

12 A nd the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.

13 A nd gathered to him the men of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and they possessed the City of Palm Trees (Jericho).

And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees.

14 A nd the Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. Ehud Delivers from Moab

15 B ut when the Israelites cried to the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man; and by him the Israelites sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

But when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

16 E hud made for himself a sword, a cubit long, which had two edges, and he girded it on his right thigh under his clothing.

Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak.

17 A nd he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 A nd when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried it.

It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.

19 H e himself went as far as the sculptured stones near Gilgal, and then turned back and came to Eglon and said, I have a secret errand to you, O king. Eglon commanded silence, and all who stood by him went out from him.

But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he said, “Keep silence.” And all who attended him left him.

20 W hen Ehud had come to him as he was sitting alone in his cool upper apartment, Ehud said, I have a commission from God to execute to you. And the king arose from his seat.

Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat.

21 T hen Ehud put forth his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into Eglon’s belly.

Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly.

22 A nd the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade, for did not draw the sword out of his belly, and the dirt came out.

The handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out.

23 T hen Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the upper room upon and locked them.

Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them.

24 W hen had gone out, servants came. And when they saw the doors of the upper room were locked, they thought, Surely he relieves himself in the closet of the cool chamber.

When he had gone out, his servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; and they said, “ He is only relieving himself in the cool room.”

25 T hey waited a long time until they became embarrassed and uneasy, but when he still did not open the doors of the upper room, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their master fallen to the floor, dead!

They waited until they became anxious; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the floor dead.

26 E hud escaped while they delayed and passed beyond the sculptured stones (images) and escaped to Seirah.

Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.

27 W hen he arrived, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down from the hill country, with him at their head.

It came about when he had arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them.

28 A nd he said to them, Follow me, for the Lord has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and permitted not a man to pass over.

He said to them, “Pursue them, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hands.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross.

29 T hey slew at that time about 10, 000 Moabites, all strong, courageous men; not a man escaped.

They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped.

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

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years. Shamgar Delivers from Philistines

31 A fter was Shamgar son of Anath, who slew 600 Philistine men with an oxgoad. He also delivered Israel.

After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.