New American Standard Bible 1995

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of 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.

2only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly).

2This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before.

3These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as 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.

4They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded 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.

5The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

5But they settled among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

6and they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and 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.

7The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

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 was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim 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.

9When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

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 judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

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.

11Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

11Then the land was peaceful 40 years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died.

12Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against 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.

13And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees.

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 sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

14The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab 18 years.

15But when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the 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.

16Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on 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

17He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

17and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an extremely fat man.

18It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.

18When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who had carried it.

19But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." And he said, "Keep silence." And all who attended him 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.

20Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." And he arose 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.

21Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly.

21Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon's belly.

22The handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out.

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 into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them.

23Ehud escaped by way of the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upstairs room behind him.

24When he had gone out, his servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; and they said, "He is only relieving himself in the cool room."

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.

25They waited until they became anxious; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the floor dead.

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!

26Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and 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.

27It came about when he had arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them.

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.

28He said to them, "Pursue them, for the LORD has given your enemies the Moabites into your hands." So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross.

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.

29They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one 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 that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.

30Moab became subject to Israel that day, and the land was peaceful 80 years.

31After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.

31After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath became judge. He delivered Israel by striking down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad.

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Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.