Judges 3

1 Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:3 namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.4 And they were left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:6 and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

7 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.8 Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled 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 And when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.10 And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.14 And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.16 And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.17 And he offered the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.18 And when he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people that bare the tribute.19 But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:22 and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.23 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them.

24 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.25 And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that 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 before them.28 And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Jehovah hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.29 And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad: and he also saved Israel.

Judges 3

1 These were the nations the Lord permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel – he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites.t2 He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war.ts3 These were the nations:t the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo-Hamath.t

4 They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.t
5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

6 They took the Canaanites’ daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites;t they worshipedt their gods as well.

Othniel: A Model Leader

7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight.t They forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.s8 The Lord was furious with Israelt and turned them over tot King Cushan-Rishathaimt of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjectst for eight years.9 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, het raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescuedt them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.t10 The Lord’s spirit empowered himt and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him.t

11 The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Deceit, Assassination, and Deliverance

12 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight.t The Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israelt because they had done evil in the Lord’s sight.13 Eglon formed alliances witht the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the City of Date Palm Trees.

14 The Israelites were subject tot King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.
15 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, het raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man.t The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment.t16 Ehud made himself a sword – it had two edges and was eighteen inches long.t He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh.

17 He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)
18 After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it.t19 But he went backt once he reachedt the carved imagest at Gilgal. He said to Eglon,t “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglont said, “Be quiet!”t All his attendants left.20 When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilatedt upper room all by himself. Ehud said, “I have a message from Godt for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat,t21 Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and drove it into Eglon’st belly.22 The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehudt did not pull the sword out of his belly.t

23 As Ehud went out into the vestibule,t he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
24 When Ehud had left, Eglon’st servants came and saw the locked doors of the upper room. They said, “He must be relieving himselft in the well-ventilated inner room.”t25 They waited so long they were embarrassed, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. Finally they took the key and opened the doors.t Right before their eyes was their master, sprawled out dead on the floor!t

26 Now Ehud had escaped while they were delaying. When he passed the carved images, he escaped to Seirah.
27 When he reached Seirah,t he blew a trumpett in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites went down with him from the hill country, with Ehud in the lead.t28 He said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!”t They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan Rivert opposite Moab,t and did not let anyone cross.29 That day they killed about ten thousand Moabitest – all strong, capable warriors; not one escaped.

30 Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.

31 After Ehudt camet Shamgar son of Anath; he killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad and, like Ehud,t delivered Israel.