NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1These were the nations the LORD permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel--he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites.

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;

2He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war.

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

3These were the nations: the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo-Hamath.

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.

4They were left to test Israel, so the LORD would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.

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.

5The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

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

6They took the Canaanites' daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites; they worshiped their gods as well.

6and they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. They forgot the LORD their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.

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.

8The LORD was furious with Israel and turned them over to King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim's subjects for eight years.

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.

9When the Israelites cried out for help to the LORD, he raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

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.

10The LORD's spirit empowered him and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the LORD handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him.

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.

11The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

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

12The Israelites again did evil in the LORD's sight. The LORD gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because they had done evil in the LORD's sight.

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.

13Eglon formed alliances with the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the City of Date Palm Trees.

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.

14The Israelites were subject to King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

14The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15When the Israelites cried out for help to the LORD, he raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment.

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.

16Ehud made himself a sword--it had two edges and was eighteen inches long. He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh.

16Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak.

17He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)

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

18After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it.

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

19But he went back once he reached the carved images at Gilgal. He said to Eglon, "I have a secret message for you, O king." Eglon said, "Be quiet!" All his attendants left.

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.

20When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated upper room all by himself. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." When Eglon rose up from his seat,

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.

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

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

22The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his 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.

23As Ehud went out into the vestibule, he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

23Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them.

24When Ehud had left, Eglon's servants came and saw the locked doors of the upper room. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the well-ventilated inner room."

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."

25They waited so long they were embarrassed, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. Finally they took the key and opened the doors. Right before their eyes was their master, sprawled out dead on the floor!

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.

26Now Ehud had escaped while they were delaying. When he passed the carved images, he escaped to Seirah.

26Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.

27When he reached Seirah, he blew a trumpet in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites went down with him from the hill country, with Ehud in the lead.

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.

28He said to them, "Follow me, for the LORD is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!" They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Moab, and did not let anyone cross.

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.

29That day they killed about ten thousand Moabites--all strong, capable warriors; not one escaped.

29They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped.

30Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.

30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.

31After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath; he killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad and, like Ehud, delivered Israel.

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

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