Judges 3

1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

These ben the folkis whiche the Lord lefte, that in hem he schulde teche Israel, and alle men that knewen not the batels of Cananeis;

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;

and that aftirward `the sones of hem schulden lerne to fiyte with enemyes,

3 namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.

and to haue custom of batel He lefte fyue princes of Filistees, and al Cananei, and the puple of Sidon, and Euey that dwelliden in the hil Liban, fro the hil Baal Hermon `til to the entryng of Emath.

4 And they were there, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

And he lefte hem, that in hem he schulde asaie Israel, whethir thei wolden here the `heestis of the Lord, whiche he comaundide to her fadris bi the hond of Moises, ethir nai.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

And so the sones of Israel dwelliden in the myddis of Cananei, of Ethei, and of Ammorrei, and of Feresei, and of Euey,

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

and of Jebusey, and weddiden wyues, the douytris of hem; and the sones of Israel yauen her douytris to `the sones of hem, and serueden `the goddis of hem.

7 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

And the sones of Israel diden yuel in the `siyt of the Lord, and foryaten her Lord God, and serueden Baalym, and Astaroth.

8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them over into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

And the Lord was wrooth ayens Israel, and bitook hem in to the hondis of Cusanrasathaym, kyng of Mesopotanye, and thei serueden hym eiyte yeer.

9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

And thei crieden to the Lord, and he reiside to hem a sauyour, and delyuerede hem, that is, Othonyel, sone of Ceneth, `the lesse brothir of Caleph.

10 And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.

And the spirit of the Lord was in hym, and he demyde Israel. And he yede out to batel, and the Lord bitook in to hise hondis Cusanrathaym, kyng of Sirie; and Othonyel oppresside hym.

11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

And the lond restide fourti yeer; and Othonyel, sone of Ceneth, diede.

12 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

Forsothe the sones of Israel addiden to do yuel in the `siyt of the Lord; and he coumfortide ayens hem Eglon, the kyng of Moab, for `thei diden yuel in the `siyt of the Lord.

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.

And the Lord couplide to hym the sones of Amon and Amalech; and he yede, and smoot Israel, and hadde in possessioun the citee of Palmes.

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

And the sones of Israel serueden Eglon, kyng of Moab, eiytene yeer.

15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed; and the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.

And aftirward thei crieden to the Lord; and he reiside to hem a sauyour, Aioth bi name, the sone of Gera, sone of Gemyny, which Aioth vside euer either hond for the riyt hond. And the sones of Israel senten bi him yiftis, `that is, tribute, to Eglon, kyng of Moab;

16 And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

which Aioth made to hym a swerd keruynge on euer either side, hauynge in the myddis a pomel of the lengthe of the pawm of an hond; and he was gird therwith vndir `the sai, `that is, a knyytis mentil, `in the riyt hipe.

17 And he offered the present unto Eglon king of Moab — now Eglon was a very fat man.

And he brouyte yiftis to Eglon, the kyng of Moab; forsothe Eglon was ful fat.

18 And when he had made an end of offering the present, he sent away the people that bore the present.

And whanne he hadde youe yiftis to the kyng, he pursuede felowis that camen with hym; and he turnede ayen fro Galgalis,

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.

where idolis weren, and he seide to the kyng, A kyng, Y haue a priuei word to thee. And he comaundide silence. And whanne alle men weren goon out, that weren aboute hym, Aioth entride to hym;

20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in his cool upper chamber. And Ehud said: 'I have a message from God unto thee.' And he arose out of his seat.

forsothe he sat aloone in a somer parlour. And Aioth seide, Y haue the word of God to thee.

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

Which roos anoon fro the trone. And Aioth helde forth the left hond, and took the swerd fro his riyt hype; and he

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 belly; and it came out behind.

fastnede in to the `wombe of the kyng so strongli, that the pomel, `ether hilte, suede the yrun in the wounde, and was holdun streite `in the thickeste fatnesse with ynne; and he drow not out the swerd, but so as he hadde smyte, he lefte in the bodi; and anoon bi the priuetees of kynde the tordis of the wombe braste out.

23 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and locked them.

Forsothe whanne the doris of the parlour weren closid moost diligentli, and fastned with lok,

24 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked; and they said: 'Surely he is covering his feet in the cabinet of the cool chamber.'

Aioth yede out bi a posterne. And the `seruauntis of the king entriden, not in the parlour, but in the porche, and thei sien the doris of the parlour closid, and seiden, In hap he purgith the wombe in the somer parlour.

25 And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper chamber; therefore they took the key, and opened them; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

And thei abididen longe, til thei weren aschamed; and thei sien that no man openede, and thei token the keie, and thei openyden, and founden her lord liggynge deed in the erthe.

26 And Ehud escaped while they lingered, having passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.

Sotheli while thei weren disturblid, Aioth fledde out, and passide the place of idols, fro whennus he turnede ayen; and he cam in to Seirath.

27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a horn in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.

And anoon he sownede with a clarioun in the hil of Effraym; and the sones of Israel camen doun with hym, and he yede in the frount.

28 And he said unto them: 'Follow after me; for the LORD 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.

Which seide to hem, Sue ye me, for the Lord hath bitake oure enemyes, Moabitis, in to oure hondis. And thei camen doun after hym, and ocupieden the forthis of Jordan, that ledde ouer in to Moab.

29 And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valour; and there escaped not a man.

And thei suffriden not ony man to passe, but thei smytiden Moabitis in that tyme aboute ten thousande, alle myyti men and stronge; no man of hem myyte ascape.

30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

And Moab was maad low in that dai vndur the hond of Israel, and the lond restide fourescoor yeer.

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.

Aftir hym was Samgar, the sone of Anath, that smoot of Filisteis sixe hundrid men with a schar; and he also defendide Israel.