Judges 3:1-21 ▼

1 These are the nations the LORD left in order to test all those in Israel who had experienced none of the wars in Canaan.

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

3 These 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.

4 The LORD left them to test Israel, to determine if they would keep the LORD’s commands he had given their ancestors through Moses.

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

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

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

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

9 The 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.

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

11 Then the land had peace for forty years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died.

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

13 After 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.

14 The Israelites served King Eglon of Moab eighteen years.

15 Then 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 with the tribute for King Eglon of Moab.

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

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

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

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

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

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