Chapter 3

Now these [are] the nations which the LORD left,⁵² to prove¹⁵ Israel by them, [even] as many [of Israel] as had not known¹ all the wars of Canaan;

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know,² to teach¹⁵ them war, at the least such as before knew¹ nothing thereof;

[Namely], five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt⁶ in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in² of Hamath.

And they were to prove¹⁵ Israel by them, to know² whether they would hearken⁴ unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded¹⁴ their fathers by the hand of Moses.

And the children of Israel dwelt¹ among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

And they took⁴ their daughters to be their wives, and gave¹ their daughters to their sons, and served⁴ their gods.

And the children of Israel did⁴ evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat⁴ the LORD their God, and served⁴ Baalim and the groves.

Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot⁴ against Israel, and he sold⁴ them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served⁴ Chushanrishathaim eight years.

And when the children of Israel cried⁴ unto the LORD, the LORD raised up⁵⁵ a deliverer⁵⁶ to the children of Israel, who delivered⁵⁵ them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged⁴ Israel, and went out⁴ to war: and the LORD delivered⁴ Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed⁴ against Chushanrishathaim.

And the land had rest⁴ forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.⁴

And the children of Israel did² evil again⁵⁵ in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened¹⁷ Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done¹ evil in the sight of the LORD.

And he gathered⁴ unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went⁴ and smote⁵⁵ Israel, and possessed⁴ the city of palm trees. ^{8558 5899}

So the children of Israel served⁴ Eglon the king of Moab eighteen ⁶²⁴⁰ years.

But when the children of Israel cried⁴ unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up⁵⁵ a deliverer,⁵⁶ Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, ³²²⁸ a man lefthanded: ^{3225 3027} and by him the children of Israel sent⁴ a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

But Ehud made⁴ him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird⁴ it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

And he brought⁵⁵ the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon [was] a very fat man.

And when he had made an end¹⁴ to offer⁵³ the present, he sent away¹⁷ the people that bare⁶ the present.

But he himself turned¹ again from the quarries that [were] by Gilgal, and said,⁴ I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said,⁴ Keep silence.¹⁶ And all that stood⁶ by him went out⁴ from him.

And Ehud came¹ unto him; and he was sitting⁶ in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said,⁴ I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose⁴ out of [his] seat.

And Ehud put forth⁴ his left hand, and took⁴ the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust⁴ it into his belly:

And the haft also went in⁴ after the blade; and the fat closed⁴ upon the blade, so that he could not draw¹ the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.⁴

Then Ehud went forth⁴ through the porch, and shut⁴ the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked¹ them.

When he was gone out,¹ his servants came;¹ and when they saw⁴ that, behold, the doors of the parlour [were] locked,⁷ they said,⁴ Surely he covereth⁵⁶ his feet in his summer chamber.

And they tarried⁴ till they were ashamed:² and, behold, he opened⁶ not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took⁴ a key, and opened⁴ [them]: and, behold, their lord [was] fallen down⁶ dead⁵ on the earth.

And Ehud escaped⁸ while they tarried,¹¹⁶ and passed beyond¹ the quarries, and escaped¹¹ unto Seirath.

And it came to pass, when he was come,² that he blew⁴ a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down⁴ with him from the mount, and he before them.

And he said⁴ unto them, Follow³ after me: for the LORD hath delivered¹ your enemies⁶ the Moabites into your hand. And they went down⁴ after him, and took⁴ the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered¹ not a man to pass over.²

And they slew⁵⁵ of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped⁸ not a man.

So Moab was subdued¹¹ that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest⁴ fourscore years.

And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew⁵⁵ of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered⁵⁵ Israel.