CHAPTER 3
These
are the nations
the LORD
left
to test
all
the Israelites
who
had not
known
any
of the wars
in Canaan,
if only
to teach
warfare
to the subsequent generations
of Israel,
especially
to those who
had not
known it
formerly:
the five
rulers
of the Philistines,
all
the Canaanites,
the Sidonians,
and the Hivites
who lived
in the mountains
of Lebanon
from Mount
Baal-hermon
to Lebo-hamath.
These nations were left
to test
the Israelites,
to find out
whether they would keep
the commandments
of the LORD,
which
He had given
their fathers
through
Moses.
Thus the Israelites
continued to live
among
the Canaanites,
Hittites,
Amorites,
Perizzites,
Hivites,
and Jebusites.
And they took
the daughters of these people
in marriage,
gave
their own daughters
to their sons,
and served
their gods.
So the Israelites
did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD;
they forgot
the LORD
their God
and served
the Baals
and the Asherahs.
Then the anger
of the LORD
burned
against Israel,
and He sold them
into the hands
of
Cushan-rishathaim
king
of Mesopotamia,
and the Israelites
served
him
eight
years.
But when the Israelites
cried out
to
the LORD,
He
raised up
Othniel
son
of Kenaz,
Caleb’s
youngest
brother,
as a deliverer
to save
them.
The Spirit
of the LORD
came
upon him,
and he became Israel's
judge
and went out
to war.
And the LORD
delivered
Cushan-rishathaim
king
of Aram
into the hands of Othniel,
who prevailed
against
him.
Once again
the Israelites
did
evil
in the sight
of the LORD.
So He
gave Eglon
king
of Moab
power
over
Israel,
because
they had done
evil
in the sight
of the LORD.
After enlisting the Ammonites
and Amalekites
to join forces
with him,
Eglon attacked
and defeated
Israel,
taking possession of
the City
of Palms.
And again they
cried out
to
the LORD,
and He
raised up
Ehud
son
of Gera,
a left-handed
Benjamite,
as their deliverer.
So they
sent
him
with tribute
to Eglon
king
of Moab.
Now Ehud
had made
for himself
a double-edged
sword
a cubit
long.
He strapped
it to
his right
thigh
under
his cloak
But upon reaching
the idols
near
Gilgal,
he himself
turned back
and said,
“I have a secret
message
for you,
O king.”
“Silence,”
said the king,
and all
his attendants
left him.
Then Ehud
approached
him while he
was sitting
alone
in the coolness of
his upper room.
“I have a word
from God
for you,”
Ehud
said,
and the king rose
from
his seat.
And Ehud
reached
with his left
hand,
pulled
the sword
from
his right
thigh,
and plunged
it into Eglon’s belly.
Even
the handle
sank in
after
the blade,
and Eglon’s fat
closed in
over
it,
so that
Ehud did not
withdraw
the sword
from his belly.
And Eglon’s bowels
emptied.
Then Ehud
went out
through the porch,
closing
and locking
the doors
of the upper room
behind him.
After Ehud
was gone,
Eglon’s servants
came in
and found
the doors
of the upstairs room
locked.
“He must be
relieving
himself in the cool
room,”
they said.
So they waited
until
they became worried
and saw
that he had still not
opened
the doors
of the upper room.
Then they took
the key
and opened the doors—
and there
was their lord
lying
dead
on the floor.
Ehud, however,
had escaped
while
the servants waited.
He
passed by
the idols
and escaped
to Seirah.
On arriving in Seirah,
he blew
the trumpet
throughout the hill country
of Ephraim.
The Israelites
came down
with him
from
the hills,
and he became their leader.
“Follow me,”
he told them,
“for
the LORD
has delivered
your enemies
the Moabites
into your hands.”
So they followed him down
and seized
the fords
of the Jordan
leading to Moab,
and did not
allow
anyone
to cross over.
At that
time
they struck down
about ten
thousand
Moabites,
all
robust
and valiant
men.
Not
one
of them escaped.
After Ehud
came
Shamgar
son
of Anath.
And he too
delivered
Israel,
striking down
six
hundred
Philistines
with an oxgoad.