Judges 3:1-21 ▼

1 These the nations which Jehovah left to try Israel by them, (all which knew not the wars of Canaan;

2 Only for the generations of the sons of Israel to know to teach them war, only who before knew not;)

3 Five princes of Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivite dwelling in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-Hermon.

4 And they will be to try Israel by them to know whether they will hear the commands of Jehovah which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And 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 And they will take their daughters to them for wives, and their daughters they will give to their sons, and they will serve their gods.

7 And the sons of Israel will do evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and they will forget Jehovah their God, and they will serve the Baalims and the wooden pillars.

8 And the wrath of Jehovah will kindle against Israel, and he will sell them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram-Naharim: and the sons of Israel will serve Cushan-Rishathaim eight years.

9 And the sons of Israel will cry to Jehovah, and Jehovah will raise up a saviour to the sons of Israel, and he will save them, Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother younger than he.

10 And the spirit of Jehovah will be upon him, and he will judge Israel, and he will go forth to war: and Jehovah will give into his hand Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram; and his hand will be strong upon Cushan-Rishathaim.

11 And the land will rest forty years: and Othniel, son of Kenaz, will die.

12 And the sons of Israel will add to do evil in the eyes of Jehovah: and Jehovah will strengthen Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did evil in the eyes of Jehovah.

13 And he will gather to him the sons of Ammon and Amalek, and he will go and smite Israel, and will inherit the city of palm-trees.

14 And the sons of Israel will serve Eglon, king of Moab, eighteen years.

15 And the sons of Israel will cry to Jehovah, and Jehovah will raise up to them a saviour, Ehud, son of Gera, son of a Benjamite, a man shut up of his right hand: and the sons of Israel will send a gift by his hand to Eglon, king of Moab.

16 And Ehud will make to him a sword, and to it two mouths; a cubit its length: and he will gird it from under his garments upon his right thigh.

17 And he will bring the gift to Eglon, king of Moab: and Eglon a very fat man.

18 And it will be as he finished to bring the gift, and he will send away the people lifting up the gift.

19 And he turned back from the carved images which were at Gilgal, and he will say, A hidden word to me for thee, O king: and he will say, Silence! And all standing by him will go forth from him.

20 And Ehud came to him; and he sat in an upper chamber of cooling, which was to him alone: and Ehud will say, A word of God to me for thee. And he will rise from off the throne.

21 And Ehud will stretch forth his left hand, and will take the sword from off his right thigh, and he will drive it into his belly: