Judges 3

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 The following are the nations which the LORD allowed to remain, so that through them he might try all those Israelites who had no experience of the battles with Canaan	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 training them in battle, those generations only of the Israelites who would not have had that previous experience):	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 the five lords of the Philistines; and all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwell in the mountain region of Lebanon between Baal-hermon and the entrance to Hamath.	3 Namely, 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 entering in of Hamath.
4 These served to put Israel to the test, to determine whether they would obey the commandments the LORD had enjoined on their fathers through Moses.	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 Besides, the Israelites were living among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.	5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6 In fact, they took their daughters in marriage, and gave their own daughters to their sons in marriage, and served their gods.	6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7 Because the Israelites had offended the LORD by forgetting the LORD, their God, and serving the Baals and the Asherahs,	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 the anger of the LORD flared up against them, and he allowed them to fall into the power of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Aram Naharaim, whom they served for eight years.	8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.
9 But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a savior, Othniel, son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, who rescued them.	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 The spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD delivered Cushan-risha-thaim, king of Aram, into his power, so that he made him subject.	10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.
11 The land then was at rest for forty years, until Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.	11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 Again the Israelites offended the LORD, who because of this offense strengthened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel.	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 In alliance with the Ammonites and Amalekites, he attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the city of palms.	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 The Israelites then served Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.	14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a savior, the Benjaminite Ehud, son of Gera, who was left-handed. It was by him that the Israelites sent their tribute to Eglon, king of Moab.	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 Ehud made himself a two-edged dagger a foot long, and wore it under his clothes over his right thigh.	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 He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, who was very fat,	17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
18 and after the presentation went off with the tribute bearers.	18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
19 He returned, however, from where the idols are, near Gilgal, and said, "I have a private message for you, O king." And the king said, "Silence!" Then when all his attendants had left his presence,	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 went in to him where he sat alone in his cool upper room, Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." So the king rose from his chair,	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 then Ehud with his left hand drew the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon's belly.	21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22 The hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade because he did not withdraw the dagger from his body.	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 out into the hall, shutting the doors of the upper room on him and locking them.	23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
24 When Ehud had left and the servants came, they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, and thought, "He must be easing himself in the cool chamber."	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 They waited until they finally grew suspicious. Since he did not open the doors of the upper room, they took the key and opened them. There on the floor, dead, lay their lord!	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 During their delay Ehud made good his escape and, passing the idols, took refuge in Seirah.	26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
27 On his arrival he sounded the horn in the mountain region of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down from the mountains with him as their leader.	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 "Follow me," he said to them, "for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your power." So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, permitting no one to cross.	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 On that occasion they slew about ten thousand Moabites, all of them strong and valiant men. Not a man escaped.	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 Thus was Moab brought under the power of Israel at that time; and the land had rest for eighty years.	30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
31 After him there was Shamgar, son of Anath, who slew six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He, too, rescued Israel.	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.