ULT by section JDG 3:1

⌂ ← JDG 3:1–3:31 → ║ ©

The Book of Judges 3

3 Now those nations which Yahweh allowed to remain in order to test Israel by them, all who had not known any of the wars of Canaan, 2 only for the sake of the generations of the sons of Israel knowing, to teach them warfare, only who formerly had not experienced them, 3 the five governors of the Philistines, and all of the Canaanite, the Sidonian, and the Hivite dwelling in the mountain of Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon as far as Lebo Hamath. 4 They were to test Israel by them, to know whether they would heed the commandments of Yahweh, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 So the sons of Israel settled in the midst of the Canaanite, the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 6 Then their daughters they took for themselves as wives, and their daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.

7 So the sons of Israel did this evil in the eyes of Yahweh and they forgot Yahweh their God. They served the baals and the asherahs. 8 Therefore, the anger of Yahweh blazed against Israel, so he sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Aram Naharaim. The sons of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years. 9 When the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel, and he delivered them: Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb younger than him. 10 The spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went forth to battle and Yahweh gave Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Aram, into his hand. Thus his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim. 11 So the land had tranquility forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 Then the sons of Israel started again to do this evil in the eyes of Yahweh. So Yahweh strengthed Eglon, the king of Moab against Israel, because they did this evil in the eyes of Yahweh. 13 Then he mobilized to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek and he went and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the city of the palm trees. 14 So the sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 When the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man impeded in his right hand. The sons of Israel sent tribute by his hand to Eglon, the king of Moab. 16 Then Ehud made for himself a sword and it had two edges, a span was its length. He bound it on from beneath his clothing on his right thigh. 17 Then he bought the tribute near to Eglon, the king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 Now it happened that when he had completed bringing over the tribute, he sent away the people, the bearers of the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the quarries which were near the Gilgal, and he said, “I have a private message for you, O king.” He said, “Silence!” So all those who were standing around him went out from around him. 20 So Ehud came to him. Now he was sitting in the roof chamber in the coolness, which was for him alone. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you,” and he rose up from upon the seat. 21 Then Ehud stretched out his left hand and took the sword from upon his right thigh, and he thrust it into his belly. 22 Also the handle went in following the blade, and the fat closed up over the handle because he did not pull the sword out of his belly. Then he proceeded to the vestibule, 23 and Ehud went out to the porch and he closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.

24 After he had gone out, his servants came. They inspected and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked. So they said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the chamber in the coolness.” 25 They waited until it was inappropriate, but behold, he was not opening the doors of the roof chamber. So they took the key and they opened them, and behold, their majestic lord had fallen to the floor, dead.

26 Meanwhile Ehud had escaped during their tarrying and he passed beyond the quarries, then he fled to Seirah. 27 Now it happened that at his coming in, he blew on the shofar in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was before them. 28 Then he said to them, “Follow after me, for Yahweh has given your enemies, Moab, into your hand.” So they went down after him and they captured the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab. Thus they did not allow anyone to cross over. 29 So they routed Moab at that time, about ten thousand men. All were robust and all were men of strength, but not anyone escaped. 30 Moab was subdued on that day under the hand of Israel, and the land was tranquil eighty years.

31 After him was Shamgar, the son of Anath, and he smote Philistines, 600 men with a cattle prod. Thus he also delivered Israel.

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