| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1These are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan, | 1These are the nations the LORD left in order to test Israel, since the Israelites had fought none of these in any of the wars with Canaan. |
| 2if only to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel, especially to those who had not known it formerly: | 2This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before. |
| 3the 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. | 3These nations included: the five rulers of the Philistines and all of the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanese mountains from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath. |
| 4These 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. | 4The LORD left them to test Israel, to determine if they would keep the LORD's commands He had given their fathers through Moses. |
| 5Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. | 5But they settled among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. |
| 6And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods. | 6The Israelites took their daughters as wives for themselves, gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their gods. |
| 7So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. | 7The Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight; they forgot the LORD their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs. |
| 8Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years. | 8The LORD's anger burned against Israel, and He sold them to Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years. |
| 9But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, He raised up Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz as a deliverer to save them. | 9The Israelites cried out to the LORD. So the LORD raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's youngest brother, as a deliverer to save the Israelites. |
| 10The 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 hand of Othniel, who prevailed against him. | 10The Spirit of the LORD came on him, and he judged Israel. Othniel went out to battle, and the LORD handed over Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram to him, so that Othniel overpowered him. |
| 11So the land had rest for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died. | 11Then the land was peaceful 40 years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died. |
| 12Once 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. | 12The Israelites again did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel, because they had done what was evil in the LORD's sight. |
| 13After enlisting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join forces with him, Eglon attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the City of Palms. | 13After Eglon convinced the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join forces with him, he attacked and defeated Israel and took possession of the City of Palms. |
| 14The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years. | 14The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab 18 years. |
| 15And 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. | 15Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and He raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjaminite, as a deliverer for them. The Israelites sent him to Eglon king of Moab with tribute money. |
| 16Now Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak | 16Ehud made himself a double-edged sword 18 inches long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes |
| 17and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man. | 17and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an extremely fat man. |
| 18After Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he ushered out those who had carried it. | 18When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who had carried it. |
| 19But 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. | 19At the carved images near Gilgal he returned and said, "King Eglon, I have a secret message for you." The king called for silence, and all his attendants left him. |
| 20Then 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. | 20Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in his room upstairs where it was cool. Ehud said, "I have a word from God for you," and the king stood up from his throne. |
| 21And Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly. | 21Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon's belly. |
| 22Even 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. | 22Even the handle went 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 insides came out. |
| 23Then Ehud went out through the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upper room behind him. | 23Ehud escaped by way of the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upstairs room behind him. |
| 24After Ehud was gone, Eglon’s servants came in and found the doors of the upper room locked. “He must be relieving himself in the cool room,” they said. | 24Ehud was gone when Eglon's servants came in. They looked and found the doors of the upstairs room locked and thought he was relieving himself in the cool room. |
| 25So 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. | 25The servants waited until they became worried and saw that he had still not opened the doors of the upstairs room. So they took the key and opened the doors--and there was their lord lying dead on the floor! |
| 26Ehud, however, had escaped while the servants waited. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. | 26Ehud escaped while the servants waited. He crossed over the Jordan near the carved images and reached Seirah. |
| 27On arriving in Seirah, he blew the ram’s horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hills, and he became their leader. | 27After he arrived, he sounded the ram's horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hill country, and he became their leader. |
| 28“Follow me,” he told them, “for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over. | 28He told them, "Follow me, because the LORD has handed over your enemies, the Moabites, to you." So they followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over. |
| 29At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men. Not one of them escaped. | 29At that time they struck down about 10,000 Moabites, all strong and able-bodied men. Not one of them escaped. |
| 30So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day, and the land had rest for eighty years. | 30Moab became subject to Israel that day, and the land was peaceful 80 years. |
| 31After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. And he too saved Israel, striking down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. | 31After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath became judge. He delivered Israel by striking down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. |
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