1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to
prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as
had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2 Only
that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war,
at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3 Namely, five lords of the
Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that
dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.
4 And
they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto 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, Hittites, and Amorites, and
Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6 And
they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their
sons, and served their gods.
7 And
the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD
their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
8 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 cried unto 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 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 And
the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 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 unto 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 served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 But
when the children of Israel cried unto 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 a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
16 But
Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird
it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
17 And
he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a
very fat man.
18 And
when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare
the present.
19 But
he himself turned again from the quarries that were by
Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep
silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
20 And
Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for
himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose
out of his seat.
21 And
Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and
thrust it into his belly:
22 And
the haft also went in 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 went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him,
and locked them.
24 When
he was 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 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 was fallen
down dead on the earth.
26 And
Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped
unto Seirath.
27 And
it came to pass, when he was 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 And
he said unto them, Follow after 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 suffered not a man to pass over.
29 And
they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men
of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30 So
Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest
fourscore years.
31 And
after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six
hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
