Judges 3

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 These are the nations which the Lord left, that by them he might instruct Israel, and all that had not known the wars of the Chanaanites:	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
2 That afterwards their children might learn to fight with their enemies, and to be trained up to war:	2 training them in battle, those generations only of the Israelites who would not have had that previous experience):
3 The five princes of the Philistines, and all the Chanaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hevites that dwelt in mount Libanus, from mount Baal Hermon to the entering into Emath.	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.
4 And he left them, that he might try Israel by them, whether they would hear the commandments of the Lord, which he had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses, or not.	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.
5 So the children of Israel dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanite, and the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite:	5 Besides, the Israelites were living among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
6 And they took their daughters to wives, and they gave their own daughters to their sons, and they served their gods.	6 In fact, they took their daughters in marriage, and gave their own daughters to their sons in marriage, and served their gods.
7 And they did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they forgot their God, and served Baalim and Astaroth.	7 Because the Israelites had offended the LORD by forgetting the LORD, their God, and serving the Baals and the Asherahs,
8 And the Lord being angry with Israel, delivered them into the hands of Chusan Rasathaim king of Mesopotamia, and they served him eight years.	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.
9 And they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a saviour, and delivered them, to wit, Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb:	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.
10 And the spirit of the Lord was in him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to fight, and the Lord delivered into his hands Chusan Rasathaim king of Syria, and he overthrew him.	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.
11 And the land rested forty years, and Othoniel the son of Cenez died.	11 The land then was at rest for forty years, until Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.
12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: who strengthened against them Eglon king of Moab: because they did evil in his sight.	12 Again the Israelites offended the LORD, who because of this offense strengthened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel.
13 And he joined to him the children of Ammon, and Amalec: and he went and overthrew Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.	13 In alliance with the Ammonites and Amalekites, he attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the city of palms.
14 And the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years:	14 The Israelites then served Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.
15 And afterwards they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a saviour called Aod, the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, who used the left hand as well as the right. And the children of Israel sent presents to Eglon king of Moab by him.	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.
16 And he made himself a two-edged sword, with a haft in the midst of the length of the palm of the hand, and was girded therewith under his garment on the right thigh.	16 Ehud made himself a two-edged dagger a foot long, and wore it under his clothes over his right thigh.
17 And he presented the gifts to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was exceeding fat.	17 He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, who was very fat,
18 And when he had presented the gifts unto him, he followed his companions that came along with him.	18 and after the presentation went off with the tribute bearers.
19 Then returning from Galgal, where the idols were, be said to the king: I have a secret message to thee, O king. And he commanded silence: and all being gone out that were about 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,
20 Aod went in to him: now he was sitting in a summer parlour alone, and he said: I have a word from God to thee. And he forthwith rose up from his throne,	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,
21 And Aod put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly,	21 and then Ehud with his left hand drew the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon's belly.
22 With such force that the haft went in after the blade into the wound, and was closed up with the abundance of fat. So that he did not draw out the dagger, but left it in his body as he had struck it in. And forthwith by the secret parts of nature the excrements of the belly came out.	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.
23 But Aod carefully shutting the doors of the parlour and locking them,	23 Then Ehud went out into the hall, shutting the doors of the upper room on him and locking them.
24 Went out by a postern door. And the king's servants going in, saw the doors of the parlour shut, and they said: Perhaps he is easing nature in his summer parlour.	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."
25 And waiting a long time till they were ashamed, and seeing that no man opened the door, they took a key: and opening, they found their lord lying dead on the ground.	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!
26 But Aod, while they were in confusion, escaped, and passed by the place of the idols, from whence he had returned. And he came to Seirath:	26 During their delay Ehud made good his escape and, passing the idols, took refuge in Seirah.
27 And forthwith he sounded the trumpet in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel went down with him, he himself going in the front.	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.
28 And he said to them: Follow me: for the Lord hath delivered our enemies the Moabites into our hands. And they went down after him, and seized upon the fords of the Jordan, which are in the way to Moab: and they suffered no man to pass over.	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.
29 But they slew of the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand, all strong and Valiant men: none of them could escape.	29 On that occasion they slew about ten thousand Moabites, all of them strong and valiant men. Not a man escaped.
30 And Moab was humbled that day under the hand of Israel: and the land rested eighty years.	30 Thus was Moab brought under the power of Israel at that time; and the land had rest for eighty years.
31 After him was Samgar the son of Anath, who slew of the Philistines six hundred men with a ploughshare: and he also defended Israel.	31 After him there was Shamgar, son of Anath, who slew six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He, too, rescued Israel.