Judges 3

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

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;

2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:

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 the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

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 They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the LORD’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

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.

5 The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

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;

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

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

7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

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.

8 Therefore the LORD’s anger burned 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.

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.

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 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.

10 The LORD’s Spirit 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. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.

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.

11 The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

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

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

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;

13 He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

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.

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

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

15 But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

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.

16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.

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

17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

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

18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.

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;

19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols 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 left him.

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.

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.” He arose out of his seat.

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.

21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.

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

22 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 body; and it came out behind.

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.

23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

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

24 After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”

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.

25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.

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.

26 Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.

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

27 When he had come, he blew a shofar in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

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.

28 He said to them, “Follow me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.

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 They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped.

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.

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

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.

31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.

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.