< Judges 3 >

1 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,
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars 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)
Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it;
3 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.
Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt on mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon to the entrance of Hamath.
4 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.
And they were to test Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken to the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hiuites, and the Iebusites,
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6 And they tooke their daughters to bee their wiues, and gaue their daughters to their sonnes, and serued their gods.
And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7 So the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and forgate the Lord their God, and serued Baalim, and Asheroth.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
8 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.
Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
9 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.
And when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
10 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.
And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
11 So the lande had rest fourtie yeeres, and Othniel the sonne of Kenaz dyed.
And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
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.
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
13 And he gathered vnto him the children of Ammon, and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and they possessed the citie of palme trees.
And he gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
14 So the children of Israel serued Eglon king of Moab eighteene yeeres.
So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 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.
But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent tribute to 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,
But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
17 And he presented ye gift vnto Eglon King of Moab (and Eglon was a very fat man)
And he brought the tribute to 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,
And when he had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people that bore the tribute.
19 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.
But he himself turned back at the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand to thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by 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,
And Ehud came to him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God to thee. And he arose from his seat.
21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and tooke the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his bellie,
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22 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.
And the handle also entered after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
23 Then Ehud gate him out into the porch, and shut the doores of the parler vpon him, and locked them.
Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
24 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.
When he had gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
25 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.
And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord lay dead on the earth.
26 So Ehud escaped (while they taried) and was passed the quarris, and escaped vnto Seirah.
And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirath.
27 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.
And it came to pass, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
28 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.
And he said to them, Follow me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and permitted not a man to pass over.
29 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.
And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all stout, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30 So Moab was subdued that daye, vnder the hand of Israel: and the land had rest fourescore yeeres.
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years.
31 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.
And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

< Judges 3 >