Judges 3

1 Now, these, are the nations which Yahweh left, that he might, by them, put Israel to the proof, —all who had not known any of the wars of Canaan;

Inilah bangsa-bangsa yang TUHAN biarkan tinggal di Kanaan: kelima kerajaan orang Filistin, semua orang Kanaan, orang Sidon, dan orang Hewi yang tinggal di Gunung Libanon, mulai dari Gunung Baal Hermon sampai ke jalan masuk Hamat. TUHAN membiarkan mereka tinggal di sana untuk menguji generasi bangsa Israel yang tidak mengalami perang merebut Kanaan. TUHAN hendak melatih generasi baru itu untuk berperang.

2 that the generations of the sons of Israel might certainly get to know, by being taught to make war, —such, at least, as aforetime knew nothing thereof: —

3 five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites dwelling in Mount Lebanon, —from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entering in of Hamath.

4 So then [these] were [left], that, by them, he might put Israel to the proof, —to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Yahweh which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

TUHAN memakai bangsa-bangsa itu untuk menguji apakah bangsa Israel akan taat kepada perintah yang Dia sampaikan kepada nenek moyang mereka melalui Musa.

5 And thus, the sons of Israel, dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites, —the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

Tetapi sementara bangsa Israel hidup di antara orang Kanaan, Het, Amori, Feris, Hewi, dan Yebus,

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

mereka melakukan kawin campur dengan orang-orang itu dan menyembah dewa-dewa mereka.

7 Thus did the sons of Israel the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and forgat Yahweh their God, —and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

Dalam pandangan TUHAN, bangsa Israel sudah menjadi sangat jahat. Mereka melupakan TUHAN, Allah mereka, dan menyembah berbagai macam dewa Baal serta dewi Asyera.

8 Then kindled the anger of Yahweh upon Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, —and the sons of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim, eight years.

Maka TUHAN sangat marah kepada bangsa Israel dan menyerahkan mereka ke tangan Raja Kusan Risyataim dari Aram Naharaim. Raja itu menguasai bangsa Israel selama delapan tahun

9 And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, so Yahweh raised up a saviour unto the sons of Israel, who saved them, —even Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

sehingga bangsa Israel berseru-seru minta tolong kepada TUHAN. Lalu Dia mengutus seorang penyelamat untuk mereka, yaitu Otniel, anak dari adik Kaleb yang bernama Kenas.

10 And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war, and Yahweh delivered into his hand, Chushan-rishathaim, king of Syria, —and his hand prevailed over Chushan-rishathaim.

Roh TUHAN menggerakkan Otniel sehingga dia menjadi pembela bagi bangsa Israel. Dia memimpin pasukan Israel pergi berperang melawan Raja Kusan Risyataim, dan TUHAN memberikan kemenangan kepadanya.

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

Maka negeri itu pun aman dari musuh selama empat puluh tahun, sampai Otniel meninggal dunia.

12 And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked, in the sight of Yahweh, —and Yahweh emboldened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh;

Bangsa Israel kembali berbuat jahat di mata TUHAN. Karena kejahatan mereka, TUHAN membuat Raja Eglon dari Moab menjadi kuat sehingga dia menguasai Israel.

13 and he gathered unto him, the sons of Ammon, and Amalek, —and came and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm-trees.

Raja Eglon mengajak bangsa Amon dan Amalek untuk bergabung dengannya. Mereka menyerang dan mengalahkan bangsa Israel serta merebut kota Yeriko (yang disebut juga Kota Pohon Kurma).

14 So the sons of Israel served Eglon king of Moab, eighteen years.

Lalu Israel dijajah oleh Eglon selama delapan belas tahun.

15 And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up unto them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed, —and the sons of Israel sent, by his hand, a present, unto Eglon king of Moab.

Tetapi ketika bangsa Israel berseru meminta tolong kepada TUHAN, TUHAN mengangkat seorang penyelamat untuk mereka, yaitu Ehud anak Gera dari suku Benyamin. Ehud adalah seorang yang kidal. Selama ini Ehud bertugas sebagai pengantar pajak dari bangsa Israel kepada Eglon, raja Moab.

16 So Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, —and girded it under his raiment, upon his right thigh.

Ehud membuat sebuah pedang bermata dua yang panjangnya hampir setengah meter. Dia menyembunyikan pedang itu di balik bajunya dengan mengikatkannya pada paha kanan,

17 So he offered the present unto Eglon, king of Moab, —now, Eglon, was an exceedingly fat man.

lalu dia pergi untuk menyerahkan pembayaran pajak kepada Raja Eglon. Eglon ini sangat gemuk badannya.

18 And so it was, when he had made an end of offering the present, that he sent away the people who had been bearing the present;

Sesudah menyerahkan pembayaran, Ehud bersama orang-orang yang menyertai dia membawa pajak itu pun berjalan pulang.

19 but, he himself, turned back from the images that were by Gilgal, and said, A secret word, have I, unto thee, O king! And he said—Silence! Thereupon went out from his presence all who had been standing near him.

Tetapi ketika sampai di patung-patung batu di Gilgal, Ehud sendiri kembali ke istana Eglon dan berkata kepadanya, “Tuanku Raja, hamba datang membawa pesan rahasia untuk Tuanku.” Kata raja kepada para pelayannya, “Keluar!” Maka semua pelayannya meninggalkan

20 And, Ehud, came in unto him, he, having been sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself, alone, and Ehud said, A divine word, have I, unto thee. So he arose from off his seat.

mereka berdua di ruangan yang sejuk di loteng istana. Eglon sedang duduk ketika Ehud mendekati dia dan berkata, “Hamba membawa pesan dari Allah untuk Tuanku Raja.” Lalu Eglon pun berdiri dari tempat duduknya.

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from off his right thigh, —and thrust it into his body;

Saat itu juga Ehud mencabut pedangnya dengan tangan kiri dan menikam perut Eglon

22 and, the handle also, went in after the blade, and the flesh closed upon the blade, for he withdrew not the sword out of his body, —and he came out into the ante-chamber.

sampai seluruh pedang itu tertancap masuk dan tertutup oleh lemak. Usus besarnya pun terburai keluar. Ehud tidak mencabut pedangnya kembali.

23 And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them.

Kemudian Ehud keluar diam-diam lewat jalan lain setelah mengunci semua pintu ruang atas itu.

24 When, he, had come out, his servants, went in, and looked, and lo! the doors of the parlour were bolted, —so they said, Surely he covereth his feet, in the summer chamber.

Sesudah Ehud pergi, para pelayan Eglon datang dan heran melihat pintu-pintu ruangan atas terkunci. Sangka mereka, “Raja pasti sedang buang air besar di kamar kecil di ruangannya itu.”

25 But, though they tarried a long time, yet lo! he opened not the doors of the parlour, —so they took the key, and opened [them], when lo! their lord, fallen to the ground dead.

Para pelayan itu menunggu-nunggu begitu lama sampai mereka kebingungan karena raja tidak juga membuka pintu. Akhirnya, mereka mengambil kunci dan membuka pintunya. Saat itulah mereka terperanjat karena melihat tuan mereka sudah tergeletak mati di lantai.

26 But, Ehud, escaped while they delayed, —yea, he, passed the images, and escaped into Seirah.

Sedangkan Ehud sudah lari melewati patung-patung batu dan sampai ke Seira sementara para pelayan tadi sedang menunggu-nunggu.

27 And so it was, when he came, that he blew with a horn, throughout the hill country of Ephraim, —and the sons of Israel came down with him, out of the hill country, he, being before them.

Ketika Ehud tiba di perbukitan Efraim, dia meniup terompet dan perintahkan, “Ikutlah aku! TUHAN sudah menyerahkan musuh kita, bangsa Moab, ke tangan kita.” Maka Ehud memimpin bangsa Israel turun dari perbukitan itu dan mereka merebut daerah penyeberangan orang Moab di sungai Yordan. Mereka tidak membiarkan seorang pun menyeberang.

28 And he said unto them—Come down after me, for Yahweh hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand. So they came down after him, and captured the fords of the Jordan, towards Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

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

Pada waktu itu bangsa Israel menyerang dan membunuh sekitar sepuluh ribu prajurit Moab yang kuat dan tangkas. Tidak ada satu pun yang lolos.

30 And Moab was subdued on that day, under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years, and Ehud judged them until his death.

Demikianlah Israel mengalahkan Moab hari itu, dan negeri mereka pun aman selama delapan puluh tahun.

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

Sesudah Ehud, orang berikutnya yang menyelamatkan Israel adalah Samgar, anak Anat. Dalam pertempuran, dia membunuh enam ratus orang Filistin dengan tongkat penggiring sapi.