Judges 3

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 These are the nations which the Lord left, so that by them he might instruct Israel and all who had not known the wars of the Canaanites,
2 training them in battle, those generations only of the Israelites who would not have had that previous experience):	2 so that afterward their sons might learn to contend with their enemies, and to have a willingness to do battle:
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 the five princes of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who were living on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-Hermon as far as the entrance to 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 he left them, so that by them he might test Israel, as to whether or not they would listen to the commandments of the Lord, which he instructed to their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 Besides, the Israelites were living among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.	5 And so, the sons of Israel lived in the midst of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
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 as wives, and they gave their own daughters to their sons, and they 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 they did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they forgot their God, while serving the Baals and Ashtaroth.
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 And the Lord, having become angry with Israel, delivered them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia, and they served him for 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 they cried out to the Lord, who raised up for them a savior, and he freed them, namely, Othniel, the son of Kenaz, a younger brother of Caleb.
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 was in him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to fight, and the Lord delivered Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Syria, and he overwhelmed him.
11 The land then was at rest for forty years, until Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.	11 And the land was quiet for 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 Then the sons of Israel resumed doing evil in the sight of the Lord, who strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab, against them because they did evil in his sight.
13 In alliance with the Ammonites and Amalekites, he attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the city of palms.	13 And he joined to him the sons of Ammon and the sons of Amalek. And he went forth and struck Israel, and he possessed the City of Palms.
14 The Israelites then served Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.	14 And the sons of Israel served Eglon, the king of Moab, for 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 And afterward, they cried out to the Lord, who raised up for them a savior, called Ehud, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, who used either hand as well as the right hand. And the sons of Israel sent gifts to Eglon, the king of Moab, by him.
16 Ehud made himself a two-edged dagger a foot long, and wore it under his clothes over his right thigh.	16 And he made for himself a two-edged sword, having a handle, reaching to the middle, the length of the palm of a hand. And he was girded with it under his cloak, on the right thigh.
17 He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, who was very fat,	17 And he offered the gifts to Eglon, the king of Moab. Now Eglon was exceedingly fat.
18 and after the presentation went off with the tribute bearers.	18 And when he had presented the gifts to him, he followed out his companions, who had arrived with him.
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 And then, returning from Gilgal where the idols were, he said to the king, “I have a secret word for you, O king.” And he ordered silence. And when all those who were around him had departed,
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 Ehud entered to him. Now he was sitting alone in a summer upper room. And he said, “I have a word from God to you.” And immediately he rose up from his throne.
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 extended his left hand, and he took the dagger from his right thigh. And he thrust it into his abdomen
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 so strongly that the handle followed the blade into the wound, and was enclosed by the great amount of fat. Neither did he withdraw the sword. Instead, he left it in the body just as he had struck with it. And immediately, by the private parts of nature, the filth of the bowels went out.
23 Then Ehud went out into the hall, shutting the doors of the upper room on him and locking them.	23 Then Ehud carefully closed the doors of the upper room. And securing the bars,
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 he departed by a back exit. And the servants of the king, entering, saw that the doors of the upper room were closed, and they said, “Perhaps he is emptying his bowels in the summer room.”
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 after waiting a long time, until they were embarrassed, and seeing that no one opened the door, they took the key, and opening it, they found their lord lying dead on the ground.
26 During their delay Ehud made good his escape and, passing the idols, took refuge in Seirah.	26 But Ehud, while they were in confusion, escaped and passed by the place of the idols, from which he had returned. And he arrived at 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 immediately he sounded the trumpet on Mount Ephraim. And the sons of Israel descended with him, he himself advancing at the front.
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 to them: “Follow me. For the Lord has delivered our enemies, the Moabites, into our hands.” And they descended after him, and they occupied the fords of the Jordan, which cross over to Moab. And they did not permit anyone to cross.
29 On that occasion they slew about ten thousand Moabites, all of them strong and valiant men. Not a man escaped.	29 And so, they struck down the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand, all strong and robust men. None of them were able to escape.
30 Thus was Moab brought under the power of Israel at that time; and the land had rest for eighty years.	30 And Moab was humbled in that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was quiet for eighty years.
31 After him there was Shamgar, son of Anath, who slew six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He, too, rescued Israel.	31 After him, there was Shamgar, the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred men of the Philistines with a plowshare. And he also defended Israel.