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.
Dommerne 3
1 Dette er de folk som Herren lot bli tilbake for å prøve Israel ved dem, alle de israelittene som ikke selv hadde vært med i noen av Kana’ans-krigene, 2 bare for at de kommende slekter i Israel skulle få kjennskap til krig og bli opplært i det, alle de som ikke før hadde vært med: 3 Filistrenes fem fyrster og alle kana’aneerne og sidonierne og hevittene, som bodde på Libanon-fjellene, fra Ba’al-Hermon-fjellet til der hvor veien går til Hamat. s4 Ved dem var det Israel skulle bli satt på prøve, så det kunne kjennes om de ville lyde Herrens bud, som han hadde gitt deres fedre ved Moses. s
5 Men da Israels barn nå bodde midt iblant kana’aneerne, hetittene og amorittene og ferisittene og hevittene og jebusittene, 6 tok de døtrene deres til koner og ga sine døtre til deres sønner og dyrket deres guder. s7 Israels barn gjorde det som var ondt i Herrens øyne. De glemte Herren sin Gud og dyrket Ba’alene og Astarte-bildene. s
8 Da ble Herrens vrede opptent mot Israel. Han overga dem i Kusjan-Risatajims hånd, han som var konge i Mesopotamia. Og Israels barn tjente Kusjan-Risatajim i åtte år. s
Otniel
9 Da ropte Israels barn til Herren. Og Herren oppreiste en frelser for Israels barn, og han frelste dem. Det var kenisitten Otniel, Kalebs yngre bror. s10 Herrens Ånd kom over ham. Han ble dommer i Israel og dro ut i strid, og Herren ga Kusjan-Risatajim, kongen i Mesopotamia, i hans hånd, så han vant over Kusjan-Risatajim. s11 Og landet hadde ro i førti år. Så døde Otniel, Kenas’ sønn.s
Ehud
12 Men Israels barn fortsatte med å gjøre det som var ondt i Herrens øyne. Og Herren ga Eglon, kongen i Moab, makt over Israel, fordi de gjorde det som var ondt i Herrens øyne. s13 Han fikk med seg Ammons barn og Amalek og dro ut og slo Israel, og de inntok Palmebyen.s14 Og Israels barn tjente Eglon, kongen i Moab, i atten år. 15 Da ropte Israels barn til Herren, og Herren oppreiste en frelser for dem, benjaminitten Ehud, Geras sønn, en keivhendt mann. Israels barn sendte ham en gang med en gave til Eglon, kongen i Moab. 16 Da laget Ehud seg et tveegget, alenlangt sverd og bandt det om seg under klærne på sin høyre side. 17 Så førte han gaven fram til Eglon, kongen i Moab. Men Eglon var en meget fet mann. 18 Da Ehud hadde gitt gaven fra seg, lot han folkene som hadde båret gaven, dra hjem. 19 Men selv snudde han ved avgudene ved Gilgal og lot si: Jeg har et hemmelig ord til deg, konge! Da sa kongen: Hysj! Så gikk de ut alle de som sto hos ham. 20 Og Ehud kom inn til ham, mens han satt alene i sin kjølige sal på taket. Og Ehud sa: Jeg har et ord fra Gud til deg! - Da reiste han seg opp fra stolen. 21 Men Ehud rakte ut sin venstre hånd og tok sverdet fra sin høyre side og stakk det i magen hans. 22 Håndtaket fulgte bladet inn, og fettet lukket til om bladet, for han dro ikke sverdet ut av livet på ham. Det stakk ut på baksiden. 23 Og Ehud gikk ut i forhallen, og han lukket døren til salen hvor han var, og låste den. 24 Og da han var gått ut, kom tjenerne inn. Da de så at døren til salen var låst, sa de: Han har nok et visst ærend i svalkammeret. s25 Og de ventet meget lenge, men han lukket ikke opp døren til salen. Da tok de nøkkelen og lukket opp, og se, deres herre lå død på gulvet. 26 Mens de ga seg tid, slapp Ehud bort. Han var allerede kommet forbi avgudene og kom fram til Se’ira. 27 Da han kom dit, blåste han i hornet på Efra’im-fjellet. Israels barn fulgte ham ned fra fjellet, han gikk selv foran dem. s28 Og han sa til dem: Skynd dere etter meg! For Herren har gitt deres fiender, moabittene, i deres hånd. Så dro de ned etter ham, og de besatte vadestedene over Jordan til Moab og lot ingen komme over. s29 Den gang hogg de ned omkring ti tusen mann av Moab, alle sterke og djerve menn, og ikke én slapp unna. 30 Så ble da Moab på den dagen ydmyket under Israels hånd, og landet hadde ro i åtti år.
Sjamgar
31 Etter ham kom Sjamgar, Anats sønn. Han slo seks hundre mann av filistrene med en oksedrivers stav. Også han frelste Israel. s