1 N ow these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan

Now 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;

2 ( this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it),

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

3 n amely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

The 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.

4 A nd they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

They 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.

5 T hus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

And the Israelites dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites;

6 A nd they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons; and they served their gods. Othniel

And they married their daughters and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 S o the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs.

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

8 T herefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years.

So 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.

9 W hen the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

But 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.

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

The 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.

11 S o the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died. Ehud

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

12 A nd the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.

And 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.

13 T hen he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, went and defeated Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms.

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

14 S o the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

And the Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 B ut when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

But 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.

16 N ow Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh.

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

17 S o he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)

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

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

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

19 B ut he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” He said, “Keep silence!” And all who attended him went out from him.

He 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.

20 S o Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat.

When 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.

21 T hen Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

Then Ehud put forth his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into Eglon’s belly.

22 E ven the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out.

And 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.

23 T hen Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

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

24 W hen he had gone out, Eglon’s servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, “He is probably attending to his needs in the cool chamber.”

When 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.

25 S o they waited till they were embarrassed, and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them. And there was their master, fallen dead on the floor.

They 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!

26 B ut Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the stone images and escaped to Seirah.

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

27 A nd it happened, when he arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and he led them.

When 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.

28 T hen he said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over.

And 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.

29 A nd at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; not a man escaped.

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

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

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

31 A fter him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.

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