1 T hese are the nations the Lord left to test Israel. They were left to test all those who had not fought in any of the wars in Canaan.

Now 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

2 S o the children of the people of Israel who had not fought in wars might be taught about war.

( 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),

3 T hese nations are: the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.

namely, 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.

4 T hey were left to test Israel, to find out if Israel would obey the Laws the Lord gave their fathers through Moses.

And 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.

5 T he people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.

Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

6 T hey married their daughters. They gave their own daughters to their sons, and they worshiped their gods.

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

7 T he people of Israel did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

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

8 S o the anger of the Lord was against Israel. He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. The people of Israel worked for Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

Therefore 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.

9 B ut the people of Israel cried to the Lord. And the Lord gave the people of Israel someone who would save them. He gave them Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

When 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.

10 T he Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he led Israel. When he went out to war, the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. He was stronger than Cushan-rishathaim.

The 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.

11 T he land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

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

12 T he people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord again. So the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab strength against Israel, because they had sinned in the eyes of the Lord.

And 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.

13 E glon gathered together with the people of Ammon and Amalek. They went and won the war against Israel. And they took the city of Jericho.

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

14 T he people of Israel worked for Eglon the king of Moab for eighteen years.

So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 B ut when the people of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord gave them someone to save them. He gave them Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent taxes by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

But 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.

16 E hud made a sword for himself with two sharp sides, almost as long as an arm. He tied it to the top part of his right leg, under his coat.

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

17 T hen he brought the taxes to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

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

18 W hen Ehud had finished paying the taxes, he sent away the people who had carried the taxes.

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

19 B ut he himself turned around at the stone gods of Gilgal and returned to Eglon, saying, “I have secret news for you, O king.” Eglon said, “Keep quiet.” And all who stood by him went away from him.

But 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.

20 E hud came to him while Eglon was sitting alone in his summer room. And Ehud said, “I have news from God for you.” The king got up from his seat.

So 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.

21 E hud put out his left hand, took the sword from his right leg, and pushed it into Eglon’s stomach.

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

22 T he whole sword went into his stomach and the fat closed over it. For he did not pull the sword out of his stomach. The insides of Eglon’s stomach ran out.

Even 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.

23 T hen Ehud went out the back way. He closed the doors of the summer room behind him, and locked them.

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

24 W hen Ehud had gone out, Eglon’s servants came. They saw that the doors of the summer room were locked. So they said, “He is only resting in there away from the heat.”

When 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.”

25 T hey waited until they were afraid because Eglon did not open the doors of the summer room. So they opened the lock and looked in the doors. And they found their owner lying dead on the floor.

So 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.

26 E hud got away while they were waiting. He passed the stone gods and got away to Seirah.

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

27 W hen he got there, he blew the horn in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country. Ehud went in front of them.

And 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.

28 H e said to them, “Go after them. For the Lord has given into your hands the Moabites who hate you.” So they went down after him. They took over the crossing places of the Jordan beside Moab. And they did not let anyone cross.

Then 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.

29 A t that time they killed about 10, 000 Moabites, all strong men with strength of heart. No one got away.

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

30 S o Moab was crushed under the power of Israel that day. And the land had rest for eighty years.

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

31 A fter Ehud, Shamgar the son of Anath became the leader. He killed 600 Philistines with a stick used to push cattle, and he also saved Israel.

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