1 N ow these are the nations which Yahweh left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

These 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.

2 o nly that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:

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

3 t he five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

These 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.

4 T hey were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to Yahweh’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

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

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

The people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.

6 T hey took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

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

7 T he children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

The 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.

8 T herefore Yahweh’s anger burned 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 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.

9 W hen the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

But 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.

10 T he Yahweh’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.

The 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.

11 T he land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

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

12 T he children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.

The 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.

13 H e gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

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

14 T he children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

The people of Israel worked for Eglon the king of Moab for eighteen years.

15 B ut when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

But 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.

16 E hud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.

Ehud 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.

17 H e offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

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

18 W hen he had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.

When Ehud had finished paying the taxes, he sent away the people who had carried the taxes.

19 B ut he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.

But 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.

20 E hud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.

Ehud 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.

21 E hud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

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

22 a nd the handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

The 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.

23 T hen Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

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

24 A fter he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”

When 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.”

25 T hey waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.

They 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.

26 E hud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.

Ehud got away while they were waiting. He passed the stone gods and got away to Seirah.

27 W hen he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

When 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.

28 H e said to them, “Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.

He 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.

29 T hey struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man, and every man of valor. No man escaped.

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

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

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

31 A fter him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.

After 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.