Judges 3:1-21 ▼

1 These are the nations that the LORD {YHWH} left to test all the Israelites (God prevails) who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (lowland),

2 if only to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel (he wrestles with God), especially to those who had not known it formerly:

3 the five rulers of the Philistines (immigrants), all the Canaanites (merchants), the Sidonians, and the Hivites (villagers) who lived in the mountains of Lebanon (whiteness) from Mount Baal-hermon (lord of destruction) to Lebo-hamath (fortress).

4 These nations were left to test the Israelites (God prevails), to find out whether they would keep the commandments of the LORD {YHWH}, which He had given their fathers through Moses (drawn out).

5 Thus the Israelites (God prevails) continued to live among the Canaanites (merchants), Hittites, Amorites (sayers), Perizzites (villagers), Hivites, and Jebusites (Jerusalemites).

6 And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 So the Israelites (God prevails) did evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH}; they forgot the LORD their God {YHWH Elohehem} and served the Baals (lord) and the Asherahs (goddess).

8 Then the anger of the LORD {YHWH} burned against Israel (he wrestles with God), and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim (twice-wicked Cushan) king of Aram-naharaim (Aram of the two rivers), and the Israelites served him eight years.

9 But when the Israelites (God prevails) cried out to the LORD {YHWH}, He raised up Othniel (lion of God) son of Caleb’s (dog) younger brother Kenaz (hunter) as a deliverer to save them.

10 The Spirit of the LORD {Ruach YHWH} came upon him, and he became Israel’s (he wrestles with God) judge and went out to war. And the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim (twice-wicked Cushan) king of Aram (exalted) into the hand of Othniel, who prevailed against him.

11 So the land had rest for forty years, until Othniel (lion of God) son of Kenaz (hunter) died.

12 Once again the Israelites (God prevails) did evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH}. So He gave Eglon (calf-like) king of Moab (of his father) power over Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 After enlisting the Ammonites (tribal) and Amalekites (dwellers in a valley) to join forces with him, Eglon attacked and defeated Israel (he wrestles with God), taking possession of the City of Palms (Jericho).

14 The Israelites (God prevails) served Eglon (calf-like) king of Moab (of his father) eighteen years.

15 And again they (he wrestles with God) cried out to the LORD {YHWH}, and He raised up Ehud (I will give thanks) son of Gera (a grain) (son of the right hand), a left-handed Benjamite, as their deliverer. So they sent him with tribute to Eglon (calf-like) king of Moab (of his father).

16 Now Ehud (I will give thanks) had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long <18 in / 45.7 cm>. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak

17 and brought the tribute to Eglon (calf-like) king of Moab (of his father), who was an obese man.

18 After Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he ushered out those who had carried it.

19 But upon reaching the idols near Gilgal (a wheel), he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” “Silence,” said the king, and all his attendants left him.

20 Then Ehud (I will give thanks) approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God {Elohim} for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.

21 And Ehud (I will give thanks) reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.