Judges 3

1 Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

Now Yahweh left these nations to test Israel, namely everyone in Israel who had not experienced any of the wars fought in Canaan.

2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:

(He did this to teach warfare to the new generation of the Israelites who had not known it before.)

3 [namely], the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.

These are the nations: the five kings from the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanon mountains, from Mount Baal Hermon to Hamath Pass.

4 And they were [left], to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

These nations were left as a means by which Yahweh would test Israel, to confirm whether they would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

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

6 and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

Their daughters they took to be their wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.

7 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and forgot Yahweh their God. They worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

Therefore, the anger of Yahweh was set on fire against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. The people of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.

9 And when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up someone who would come to help the people of Israel, and who would rescue them: Othniel son of Kenaz (Caleb's younger brother).

10 And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.

Yahweh's Spirit empowered him, and he judged Israel and he went out to war. Yahweh gave him victory over Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram. The hand of Othniel defeated Cushan-Rishathaim.

11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

The land had peace for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

12 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

After that, the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and Yahweh gave strength to Eglon king of Moab to overpower the Israelites.

13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.

Eglon joined with the Ammonites and the Amalekites and they went and defeated Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.

14 And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

The people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab for eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.

When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up someone who would help them, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent him, with their tribute payment, to Eglon king of Moab.

16 And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

Ehud made himself a sword that had two edges, one cubit in length; he strapped it on under his clothing on his right thigh.

17 And he offered the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

He gave the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)

18 And when he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people that bare the tribute.

After Ehud had presented the tribute payment, he left with those who had carried it in.

19 But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

As for Ehud himself, however, when he reached the place where the carved images were made near Gilgal, he turned and went back, and he said, “I have a secret message for you, my king.” Eglon said, “Silence!” So all those serving him left the room.

20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

Ehud came to him. The king was sitting by himself, alone in the coolness of the upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” The king got up out of his seat.

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

Ehud reached with his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh, and he stabbed it into the king's body.

22 and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

The hilt of the sword also went into him following the blade. The tip of the sword came out of his back and the fat closed over it, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly.

23 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them.

Then Ehud went out on the porch and closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.

After Ehud had gone, the king's servants came; they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, so they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the coolness of the upper room.”

25 And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened [them]; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

They were growing more concerned until they felt they were neglecting their duty when the king still did not open the doors to the upper room. So they took the key and opened them, and there lay their master, fallen to the floor, dead.

26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.

While the servants were waiting, wondering what they should do, Ehud escaped and passed beyond the place where there were carved images of idols, and so he escaped to Seirah.

27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.

When he arrived, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hills, and he was leading them.

28 And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Jehovah hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.

He said to them, “Follow me, for Yahweh is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites.” They followed him and they captured the fords of the Jordan across from the Moabites, and they did not allow anyone to cross the river.

29 And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.

At that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, and all were strong and capable men. Not one escaped.

30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

So that day Moab was subdued by the strength of Israel, and the land had rest for eighty years.

31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad: and he also saved Israel.

After Ehud the next judge was Shamgar son of Anath who killed 600 men of the Philistines with a stick used to goad cattle. He also delivered Israel from danger.