Judges 3
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1These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan1Now 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(he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):2only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly).
3the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.3These 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.
4They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD's commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.4They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.
5The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.5The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites;
6They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.6and they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.7The 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.
8The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.8Then 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.
9But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them.9When 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.
10The Spirit of the LORD came on him, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.10The 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.
11So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.11Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.12Now 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.
13Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.13And 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.
14The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.14The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer--Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.15But 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.
16Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.16Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak.
17He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.17He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it.18It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.
19But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, "Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you." The king said to his attendants, "Leave us!" And they all left.19But 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.
20Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his seat,20Ehud 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.
21Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly.21Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly.
22Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it.22The 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.
23Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.23Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them.
24After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace."24When 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."
25They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.25They 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.
26While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah.26Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.
27When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.27It 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"Follow me," he ordered, "for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands." So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over.28He 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.
29At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped.29They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped.
30That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.
31After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.31After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.
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Judges 2
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