Judges 3

1 The following are the nations the Lord left and used to test all those Israelites who had not known what it was like to be part of any of the wars in Canaan.

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

2 (He did so to teach warfare to the later generations of Israel, particularly to those who had not previously experienced it.)

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

3 They are: the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

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

4 They were left there be to a test for the Israelites, to find out whether the Israelites would keep the Lord's commandments which he had given their forefathers through Moses.

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

5 They lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

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

6 The Israelites intermarried with them, marrying their daughters, giving their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their gods.

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

7 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight. They ignored the Lord their God and worshiped the images of Baals and Asherahs.

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

8 The Lord became angry with Israel, so he sold them to Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram Naharaim. The Israelites were subject to Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.

Therefore the wrath of the Lord 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 But when the Israelites cried out to the Lord to help them, he provided someone to rescue them, Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, and he saved them.

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

10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him, and he became Israel's judge. He went to war with Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram, and the Lord handed the king over to Othniel, who was victorious.

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

11 As a result, the country was a peace for forty years until Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.

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

12 But once again the Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight, and because they did this the Lord gave power to Eglon, king of Moab, to conquer Israel.

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 Eglon had the Ammonites and the Amalekite join him, and then attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the City of Palms.

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

14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.

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

15 Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord to help them, and he provided someone to rescue them, Ehud, son of Gera the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to pay the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab.

But when the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord, the Lord 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 Ehud had made for himself a cubit long double-edged sword, and he strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes.

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 He came and presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, who was a very fat man.

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

18 Then after delivering the tribute he sent home those who had helped carry it.

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

19 But when he reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He went to see Eglon, and told him, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.” The king told his attendants, “Silence!” and they all left.

But he turned againe from the quarris, that were by Gilgal, and 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 Ehud then went over to where Eglon was sitting alone in his cool upstairs room, and told him, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king got up from his seat,

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 Ehud grabbed his sword with his left hand from his right thigh and drove it into Eglon's belly.

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

22 The handle went in with the blade and the fat closed over it. So Ehud didn't pull the sword out, and the king defecated.

So that the hafte went in after the blade, and the fatte closed about the blade, so that he could not drawe the dagger out of his bellie, but the dirt came out.

23 Then Ehud closed and locked the doors, and escaped through the toilet.

Then Ehud gate him out into the porch, and shut the doores of the parler vpon him, and locked them.

24 After he had left, the servants came and saw that the doors of the room were locked. “He must be using the toilet,” they concluded.

And when he was gone out, his seruantes came: who seeing that the doores of the parler were locked, they sayd, Surely he doeth his easement in his sommer chamber.

25 So they waited until they couldn't stand it any more, and since he still hadn't opened the doors of the room, they went and found the key and opened the doors. There was their lord, lying dead on the floor.

And they taryed till they were ashamed: and seeing he opened not the doores of the parler, they tooke the key, and opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen dead on the earth.

26 While the servants delayed acting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols and on to Seirah.

So Ehud escaped (while they taried) and was passed the quarris, and escaped vnto Seirah.

27 When he got there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites joined him. They went down from the hills, with Ehud leading them.

And when he came home, he blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel went downe with him from the mountaine, and he went before them.

28 He told them, “Follow me, for the Lord has handed Moab, your enemy, over to you.” So they followed him down and took control of the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab. They didn't let anyone cross.

Then said he vnto them, Follow me: for the Lord hath deliuered your enemies, euen Moab into your hand. So they went downe after him, and tooke the passages of Iorden towarde Moab, and suffred not a man to passe ouer.

29 Then they attacked the Moabites and killed around 10,000 of their best and strongest fighting men. Not a single one escaped.

And they slewe of the Moabites the same time about ten thousand men, all fed men, and all were warriours, and there escaped not a man.

30 Moab was conquered that day and made subject to Israel, and the country was at peace for eighty years.

So Moab was subdued that daye, vnder the hand of Israel: and the land had rest fourescore yeeres.

31 After Ehud was Shamgar, son of Anath, who killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He also rescued Israel.

And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath, which slewe of the Philistims sixe hundreth men with an oxe goade, and he also deliuered Israel.