Judges 3:1-21 ▼

1 These nowe are the nations which the Lorde left, that he might proue Israel by them (euen as many of Israel as had not knowen all the warres of Canaan,

2 Only to make the generations of the children of Israel to know, and to teach them warre, which doutles their predecessors knew not)

3 Fiue princes of the Philistims, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, & the Hiuites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon vntill one come to Hamath.

4 And these remayned to proue Israel by them, to wit, whether they would obey the commandements of the Lorde, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, & the Amorites, and the Perizzites, & the Hiuites, and the Iebusites,

6 And they tooke their daughters to bee their wiues, and gaue their daughters to their sonnes, and serued their gods.

7 So the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, & forgate the Lorde their God, and serued Baalim, and Asheroth.

8 Therefore the wrath of the Lorde was kindled against Israel, and he solde them into the hand of Chushan rishathaim King of Aram-naharaim, and the children of Israel serued Chushan rishathaim eyght yeeres.

9 And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde, the Lord stirred vp a sauiour to ye children of Israel, & he saued them, euen Othniel the sonne of Kenaz, Calebs yonger brother.

10 And the spirite of the Lorde came vpon him, and he iudged Israel, & went out to warre: and the Lord deliuered Chushan rishathaim king of Aram into his hand, and his hand preuailed against Chushan rishathaim.

11 So the lande had rest fourtie yeeres, and Othniel the sonne of Kenaz dyed.

12 Then the children of Israel againe committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon King of Moab against Israel, because they had committed wickednesse before the Lord.

13 And he gathered vnto him the children of Ammon, and Amalek, & went and smote Israel, and they possessed the citie of palme trees.

14 So the children of Israel serued Eglon king of Moab eighteene yeeres.

15 But when the children of Israel cried vnto the Lorde, the Lorde stirred them vp a sauiour, Ehud the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini, a man lame of his right hande: and the children of Israel sent a present by him vnto Eglon King of Moab.

16 And Ehud made him a dagger with two edges of a cubite length, and he did gird it vnder his rayment vpon his right thigh,

17 And he presented ye gift vnto Eglon King of Moab (and Eglon was a very fat man)

18 And when he had now presented the present, he sent away the people that bare ye present,

19 But he turned againe from the quarris, that were by Gilgal, & said, I haue a secret errand vnto thee, O King. Who said, Keepe silence: and all that stoode about him, went out from him.

20 Then Ehud came vnto him. (and he sate alone in a sommer parler, which he had) and Ehud said, I haue a message vnto thee from God. Then he arose out of his throne,

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, & tooke the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his bellie,