< Judges 3 >

1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
These nowe are the nations which the Lord left, that he might proue Israel by them (euen as many of Israel as had not knowen all the warres of Canaan,
2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it:
Only to make the generations of the children of Israel to know, and to teach them warre, which doutles their predecessors knew not)
3 namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.
Fiue princes of the Philistims, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hiuites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon vntill one come to Hamath.
4 They were left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
And these remayned to proue Israel by them, to wit, whether they would obey the commandements of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hethites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hiuites, and the Iebusites,
6 and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
And they tooke their daughters to bee their wiues, and gaue their daughters to their sonnes, and serued their gods.
7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
So the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and forgate the Lord their God, and serued Baalim, and Asheroth.
8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he solde them into the hand of Chushan rishathaim King of Aram-naharaim, and the children of Israel serued Chushan rishathaim eyght yeeres.
9 When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother; and he obeyed him.
And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord, the Lord stirred vp a sauiour to ye children of Israel, and he saued them, euen Othniel the sonne of Kenaz, Calebs yonger brother.
10 The Ruach of the LORD came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
And the spirite of the Lord came vpon him, and he iudged Israel, and went out to warre: and the Lord deliuered Chushan rishathaim king of Aram into his hand, and his hand preuailed against Chushan rishathaim.
11 The land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
So the lande had rest fourtie yeeres, and Othniel the sonne of Kenaz dyed.
12 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.
Then the children of Israel againe committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon King of Moab against Israel, because they had committed wickednesse before the Lord.
13 He gathered to him the people of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
And he gathered vnto him the children of Ammon, and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and they possessed the citie of palme trees.
14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
So the children of Israel serued Eglon king of Moab eighteene yeeres.
15 But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
But when the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord, the Lord stirred them vp a sauiour, Ehud the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini, a man lame of his right hande: and the children of Israel sent a present by him vnto Eglon King of Moab.
16 Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, eighteen inches in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh.
And Ehud made him a dagger with two edges of a cubite length, and he did gird it vnder his rayment vpon his right thigh,
17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.
And he presented ye gift vnto Eglon King of Moab (and Eglon was a very fat man)
18 When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute.
And when he had now presented the present, he sent away the people that bare ye present,
19 But he himself turned back from the quarries 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 went out from him.
But he turned againe from the quarris, that were by Gilgal, and said, I haue a secret errand vnto thee, O King. Who said, Keepe silence: and all that stoode about him, went out from him.
20 Ehud 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, O king." He arose out of his seat.
Then Ehud came vnto him. (and he sate alone in a sommer parler, which he had) and Ehud said, I haue a message vnto thee from God. Then he arose out of his throne,
21 And it happened as he rose up that Ehud put forth his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly.
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and tooke the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his bellie,
22 And 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 belly; and it came out behind.
So that the hafte went in after the blade, and the fatte closed about the blade, so that he could not drawe the dagger out of his bellie, but the dirt came out.
23 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
Then Ehud gate him out into the porch, and shut the doores of the parler vpon him, and locked them.
24 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and look, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, "Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room."
And when he was gone out, his seruantes came: who seeing that the doores of the parler were locked, they sayd, Surely he doeth his easement in his sommer chamber.
25 They waited until they were ashamed; and look, he did not open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and look, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
And they taryed till they were ashamed: and seeing he opened not the doores of the parler, they tooke the key, and opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen dead on the earth.
26 Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah.
So Ehud escaped (while they taried) and was passed the quarris, and escaped vnto Seirah.
27 It happened, when he had 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.
And when he came home, he blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel went downe with him from the mountaine, and he went before them.
28 He said to them, "Follow after me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." They went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and did not allow a man to pass over.
Then said he vnto them, Follow me: for the Lord hath deliuered your enemies, euen Moab into your hand. So they went downe after him, and tooke the passages of Iorden towarde Moab, and suffred not a man to passe ouer.
29 They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.
And they slewe of the Moabites the same time about ten thousand men, all fed men, and all were warriours, and there escaped not a man.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years. And Ehud judged them until he died.
So Moab was subdued that daye, vnder the hand of Israel: and the land had rest fourescore yeeres.
31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who alone struck down six hundred men of the Philistines with an oxgoad. And he also saved Israel.
And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath, which slewe of the Philistims sixe hundreth men with an oxe goade, and he also deliuered Israel.

< Judges 3 >