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 test Israel by them ( that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of 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),

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

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.

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

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

The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the 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 took their daughters for themselves as wives, 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the 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.

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 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 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 S o the children of Israel 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 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 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 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 himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak.

17 S o 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 he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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

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 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 roof chamber behind him, 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 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 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 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 B ut Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the stone images and escaped to Seirah.

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

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 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.

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 A nd at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; 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 rest for eighty years. Shamgar

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