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Judges 3
1599 Geneva Bible

3 1 The Canaanites were left to try Israel. 9 Othniel delivereth Israel. 21 Ehud killeth King Eglon. 31 Shamgar killeth the Philistines.

1 These now are the nations which the Lord left, that he might prove Israel by them (even as many of Israel as had not known all the [a]wars of Canaan,

2 Only to make the generations of the children of Israel to know, and to teach them war, which doubtless their predecessors knew [b]not.)

3 Five princes of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal Hermon until one come to Hamath.

4 And these remained to prove Israel by them, to wit, whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites,

6 And they took [c]their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 ¶ So the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Baal, and [d]Asherah.

8 Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim King of [e]Aram-naharaim, and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years.

9 ¶ And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord stirred up a Savior to the children of Israel, and he saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

10 And the [f]Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of [g]Aram into his hand, and his hand prevailed against Cushan-Rishathaim.

11 So the land had rest [h]forty years, and Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 ¶ Then the children of Israel again committed wickedness in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord [i]strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had committed wickedness before the Lord.

13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon, and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

14 So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord stirred them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera the son of [j]Jemini, a man [k]lame of his right hand: and the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon king of Moab.

16 And Ehud [l]made him a dagger with two edges of a cubit length, and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh,

17 And he presented the gift unto Eglon king of Moab (and Eglon was a very fat man.)

18 And when he had now presented the present, he sent away the people that bare the present,

19 But he turned again from the [m]quarries, that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O King. Who said, Keep [n]silence: and all that stood about him went out from him.

20 Then Ehud came unto him, (and he sat alone in a summer parlor, which he had) and Ehud said, I have a message unto thee from God. Then he arose out of his throne.

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly,

22 So that the haft went in after the blade, and the fat closed about the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly, but the dirt came out.

23 Then Ehud got him out into the [o]porch, and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them.

24 And when he was gone out, his servants came: who seeing that the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely [p]he doeth his easement in his summer chamber.

25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and seeing he opened not the doors of the parlor, they took the key, and opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen dead on the earth.

26 So Ehud escaped (while they tarried) and was past the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah,

27 And when he came home, he [q]blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountain, and he went before them.

28 Then said he unto them, Follow me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies, even Moab into your hand. So they went down after him, and took the passages of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

29 And they slew of the Moabites the same time about ten thousand men, all [r]fed men, and all were warriors, and there escaped not a man.

30 So Moab was [s]subdued that day, under the hand of Israel: and the [t]land had rest fourscore years.

31 ¶ And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox [u]goad, and he also delivered Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 3:1 Which were achieved by the hand of God, and not by the power of man.
  2. Judges 3:2 For they trusted in God, and he fought for them.
  3. Judges 3:6 Contrary to God’s commandment, Deut. 3:7.
  4. Judges 3:7 Trees or woods erected for idolatry.
  5. Judges 3:8 Or, Mesopotamia.
  6. Judges 3:10 He was stirred up by the Spirit of the Lord.
  7. Judges 3:10 Or, Syria.
  8. Judges 3:11 That is, 32 under Joshua, and eight under Othniel.
  9. Judges 3:12 So that the enemies of God’s people have no power over them, but by God’s appointment.
  10. Judges 3:15 Or, Benjamin.
  11. Judges 3:15 Or, left handed.
  12. Judges 3:16 Or, caused a dagger to be made.
  13. Judges 3:19 Or, as some read from the places of idols.
  14. Judges 3:19 Till all be departed.
  15. Judges 3:23 Or, hall.
  16. Judges 3:24 Hebrew, he covereth his feet.
  17. Judges 3:27 Or, caused the trumpet to be blown, Num. 20:2,3.
  18. Judges 3:29 Or, strong, and big bodied.
  19. Judges 3:30 Hebrew, humbled.
  20. Judges 3:30 Meaning, the Israelites.
  21. Judges 3:31 So that it is not the number, nor the means that God regardeth, when he will get the victory.
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Judges 3
New International Version

3 These are the nations the Lord left to test(A) all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five(B) rulers of the Philistines,(C) all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites(D) living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon(E) to Lebo Hamath.(F) 4 They were left to test(G) the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

5 The Israelites lived(H) among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,(I) Hivites and Jebusites.(J) 6 They took their daughters(K) in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.(L)

Othniel

7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord(M) their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.(N) 8 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold(O) them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim(P) king of Aram Naharaim,[a](Q) to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out(R) to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer,(S) Othniel(T) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him,(U) so that he became Israel’s judge[b] and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim(V) king of Aram(W) into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace(X) for forty years,(Y) until Othniel son of Kenaz(Z) died.

Ehud

12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,(AA) and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab(AB) power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites(AC) and Amalekites(AD) to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.[c](AE) 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab(AF) for eighteen years.

15 Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer(AG)—Ehud(AH), a left-handed(AI) man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute(AJ) to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud(AK) had made a double-edged sword about a cubit[d] long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute(AL) to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.(AM) 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. 19 But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”

The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left.

20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace[e](AN) and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose(AO) from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword(AP) from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch[f]; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself(AQ) in the inner room of the palace.” 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment,(AR) but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.

26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet(AS) in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.

28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab,(AT) your enemy, into your hands.(AU)” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan(AV) that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30 That day Moab(AW) was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace(AX) for eighty years.

Shamgar

31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath,(AY) who struck down six hundred(AZ) Philistines(BA) with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 3:8 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  2. Judges 3:10 Or leader
  3. Judges 3:13 That is, Jericho
  4. Judges 3:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  5. Judges 3:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verse 24.
  6. Judges 3:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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Judges 2
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