Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1These are the nations the LORD left in order to test Israel, since the Israelites had fought none of these in any of the wars with Canaan.

1These are the nations that the LORD left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan.

2This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before.

2He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle.

3These nations included: the five rulers of the Philistines and all of the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanese mountains from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath.

3These are the nations: the Philistines (those living under the five Philistine rulers), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

4The LORD left them to test Israel, to determine if they would keep the LORD's commands He had given their fathers through Moses.

4These people were left to test the Israelites—to see whether they would obey the commands the LORD had given to their ancestors through Moses.

5But they settled among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

5So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites,

6The Israelites took their daughters as wives for themselves, gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their gods.

6and they intermarried with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods. Othniel Becomes Israel’s Judge

7The Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight; they forgot the LORD their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.

7The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. They forgot about the LORD their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles.

8The LORD's anger burned against Israel, and He sold them to Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

8Then the LORD burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim. And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

9The Israelites cried out to the LORD. So the LORD raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's youngest brother, as a deliverer to save the Israelites.

9But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz.

10The Spirit of the LORD came on him, and he judged Israel. Othniel went out to battle, and the LORD handed over Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram to him, so that Othniel overpowered him.

10The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the LORD gave Othniel victory over him.

11Then the land was peaceful 40 years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died.

11So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died. Ehud Becomes Israel’s Judge

12The Israelites again did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel, because they had done what was evil in the LORD's sight.

12Once again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil.

13After Eglon convinced the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join forces with him, he attacked and defeated Israel and took possession of the City of Palms.

13Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms.

14The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab 18 years.

14And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

15Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and He raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjaminite, as a deliverer for them. The Israelites sent him to Eglon king of Moab with tribute money.

15But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab.

16Ehud made himself a double-edged sword 18 inches long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes

16So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing.

17and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an extremely fat man.

17He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

18When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who had carried it.

18After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute.

19At the carved images near Gilgal he returned and said, "King Eglon, I have a secret message for you." The king called for silence, and all his attendants left him.

19But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.” So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.

20Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in his room upstairs where it was cool. Ehud said, "I have a word from God for you," and the king stood up from his throne.

20Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat,

21Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon's belly.

21Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly.

22Even the handle went in after the blade, and Eglon's fat closed in over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly. And Eglon's insides came out.

22The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied.

23Ehud escaped by way of the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upstairs room behind him.

23Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.

24Ehud was gone when Eglon's servants came in. They looked and found the doors of the upstairs room locked and thought he was relieving himself in the cool room.

24After Ehud was gone, the king’s servants returned and found the doors to the upstairs room locked. They thought he might be using the latrine in the room,

25The servants waited until they became worried and saw that he had still not opened the doors of the upstairs room. So they took the key and opened the doors--and there was their lord lying dead on the floor!

25so they waited. But when the king didn’t come out after a long delay, they became concerned and got a key. And when they opened the doors, they found their master dead on the floor.

26Ehud escaped while the servants waited. He crossed over the Jordan near the carved images and reached Seirah.

26While the servants were waiting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols on his way to Seirah.

27After he arrived, he sounded the ram's horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hill country, and he became their leader.

27When he arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Ehud sounded a call to arms. Then he led a band of Israelites down from the hills.

28He told them, "Follow me, because the LORD has handed over your enemies, the Moabites, to you." So they followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over.

28“Follow me,” he said, “for the LORD has given you victory over Moab your enemy.” So they followed him. And the Israelites took control of the shallow crossings of the Jordan River across from Moab, preventing anyone from crossing.

29At that time they struck down about 10,000 Moabites, all strong and able-bodied men. Not one of them escaped.

29They attacked the Moabites and killed about 10,000 of their strongest and most able-bodied warriors. Not one of them escaped.

30Moab became subject to Israel that day, and the land was peaceful 80 years.

30So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for eighty years. Shamgar Becomes Israel’s Judge

31After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath became judge. He delivered Israel by striking down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad.

31After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.