Judges 3

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
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 Yahweh al owed to remain, by their means to put all those Israelites to thetest who had not experienced any of the Canaanite wars
2 training them in battle, those generations only of the Israelites who would not have had that previous experience):	2 (this was only to instruct the Israelites' descendants, to teach them the art of war, those at least whohad not experienced it previously):
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 chiefs of the Philistines, al the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hittites who lived in therange of the Lebanon, from the uplands of Baal-Hermon to the Pass 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 They were used to put Israel to the test and see if they would keep the orders which Yahweh had giventheir ancestors through Moses.
5 Besides, the Israelites were living among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.	5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites and Amorites, the Perizzites, 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 they married their daughters, they gave their own sons to their daughters 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 The Israelites did what is evil in Yahweh's eyes. They forgot Yahweh their God and served Baals andAsherahs.
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 Then Yahweh's anger blazed out against Israel: he handed them over to Cushan-Rishathaim king ofEdom, and the Israelites were enslaved to Cushan-Rishathaim 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 The Israelites then cried to Yahweh and Yahweh raised for the Israelites a deliverer who rescued them,Othniel 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 The spirit of Yahweh was on him; he became judge in Israel and set out for war. Yahweh deliveredCushan-Rishathaim king of Edom into his hands, and he triumphed over Cushan- Rishathaim.
11 The land then was at rest for forty years, until Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.	11 The country then had peace for forty years. Othniel son of Kenaz then died.
12 Again the Israelites offended the LORD, who because of this offense strengthened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel.	12 Again the Israelites began doing what is evil in Yahweh's eyes, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon kingof Moab against Israel, since they were doing what is evil in Yahweh's eyes.
13 In alliance with the Ammonites and Amalekites, he attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the city of palms.	13 Eglon in conjunction with the sons of Ammon and Amalek marched on Israel, beat them and capturedthe City of Palm Trees.
14 The Israelites then served Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.	14 The Israelites were enslaved to Eglon 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 The Israelites then cried to Yahweh, and Yahweh raised a deliverer for them, Ehud son of Gera, aBenjaminite; he was left-handed. The Israelites appointed him to take their tribute to Eglon 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 Ehud made himself a dagger -- it was double-edged and a foot long -- and strapped it under hisclothes on his right thigh.
17 He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, who was very fat,	17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. This Eglon was a very fat man.
18 and after the presentation went off with the tribute bearers.	18 Having presented the tribute, Ehud sent away the men who had been carrying it;
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, on reaching the Idols which are near Gilgal, went back and said, 'I have a secretmessage for you, O king.' The king commanded silence, and al his attendants withdrew.
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 went up to him; he was sitting in his private room upstairs, where it was cool. Ehud said to him, 'Ihave a message from God for you, O king.' The latter immediately rose from 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 Then Ehud, reaching with his left hand, drew the dagger he was carrying on his right thigh and thrust itinto the king's 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 The hilt too went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, since Ehud did not pul thedagger out of his bel y again.
23 Then Ehud went out into the hall, shutting the doors of the upper room on him and locking them.	23 Ehud went out through the privies, having shut and bolted the doors of the upstairs room behind him.
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 had gone, the servants came back and looked; the doors of the upstairs room were bolted.They thought, 'He is probably covering his feet in the inner part of the cool 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 They waited until they became embarrassed, but stil he did not open the doors of the upstairs room.Eventual y, they took the key and opened the door; and there lay their master, dead, on the ground.
26 During their delay Ehud made good his escape and, passing the idols, took refuge in Seirah.	26 Meanwhile, Ehud had got away, passed the Idols and made good his escape to safety in Seirah.
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 Once there, he sounded the horn in the highlands of Ephraim, and the Israelites came down from thehil s with him at their head.
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, because Yahweh has delivered your enemy Moab into your hands.'So they followed him, seized the fords of the Jordan against Moab and al owed no one to cross.
29 On that occasion they slew about ten thousand Moabites, all of them strong and valiant men. Not a man escaped.	29 On that occasion they beat the Moabites, some ten thousand men, all tough and seasoned fighters,and not one escaped.
30 Thus was Moab brought under the power of Israel at that time; and the land had rest for eighty years.	30 That day Moab was humbled under the hand of Israel, and the country had peace 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 came Shamgar son of Anath. He routed six hundred of the Philistines with an ox-goad; hetoo was a deliverer of Israel.