The Book of Judges

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

These nowe are the nations which the Lord left, that he might proue Israel by them (euen as many of Israel as had not knowen all the warres of Canaan,

Only to make the generations of the children of Israel to know, and to teach them warre, which doutles their predecessors knew not)

Fiue princes of the Philistims, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hiuites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon vntill one come to Hamath.

And these remayned to proue Israel by them, to wit, whether they would obey the commandements of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hiuites, and the Iebusites,

And they tooke their daughters to bee their wiues, and gaue their daughters to their sonnes, and serued their gods.

Othniel

So the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and forgate the Lord their God, and serued Baalim, and Asheroth.

Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he solde them into the hand of Chushan rishathaim King of Aram-naharaim, and the children of Israel serued Chushan rishathaim eyght yeeres.

And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord, the Lord stirred vp a sauiour to ye children of Israel, and he saued them, euen Othniel the sonne of Kenaz, Calebs yonger brother.

And the spirite of the Lord came vpon him, and he iudged Israel, and went out to warre: and the Lord deliuered Chushan rishathaim king of Aram into his hand, and his hand preuailed against Chushan rishathaim.

So the lande had rest fourtie yeeres, and Othniel the sonne of Kenaz dyed.

Ehud

Then the children of Israel againe committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon King of Moab against Israel, because they had committed wickednesse before the Lord.

And he gathered vnto him the children of Ammon, and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and they possessed the citie of palme trees.

So the children of Israel serued Eglon king of Moab eighteene yeeres.

But when the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord, the Lord stirred them vp a sauiour, Ehud the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini, a man lame of his right hande: and the children of Israel sent a present by him vnto Eglon King of Moab.

And Ehud made him a dagger with two edges of a cubite length, and he did gird it vnder his rayment vpon his right thigh,

And he presented ye gift vnto Eglon King of Moab (and Eglon was a very fat man)

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

But he turned againe from the quarris, that were by Gilgal, and said, I haue a secret errand vnto thee, O King. Who said, Keepe silence: and all that stoode about him, went out from him.

Then Ehud came vnto him. (and he sate alone in a sommer parler, which he had) and Ehud said, I haue a message vnto thee from God. Then he arose out of his throne,

And Ehud put forth his left hand, and tooke the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his bellie,

So that the hafte went in after the blade, and the fatte closed about the blade, so that he could not drawe the dagger out of his bellie, but the dirt came out.

Then Ehud gate him out into the porch, and shut the doores of the parler vpon him, and locked them.

And when he was gone out, his seruantes came: who seeing that the doores of the parler were locked, they sayd, Surely he doeth his easement in his sommer chamber.

And they taryed till they were ashamed: and seeing he opened not the doores of the parler, they tooke the key, and opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen dead on the earth.

So Ehud escaped (while they taried) and was passed the quarris, and escaped vnto Seirah.

And when he came home, he blew a trumpet in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel went downe with him from the mountaine, and he went before them.

Then said he vnto them, Follow me: for the Lord hath deliuered your enemies, euen Moab into your hand. So they went downe after him, and tooke the passages of Iorden towarde Moab, and suffred not a man to passe ouer.

And they slewe of the Moabites the same time about ten thousand men, all fed men, and all were warriours, and there escaped not a man.

So Moab was subdued that daye, vnder the hand of Israel: and the land had rest fourescore yeeres.

Shamgar

And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath, which slewe of the Philistims sixe hundreth men with an oxe goade, and he also deliuered Israel.

Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:

the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the LORD’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

Othniel

The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

Therefore the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.

When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

The LORD’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.

The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Ehud

The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.

He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit

(a)

in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.

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

When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.

But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.

Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.

Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.

The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet

(b)

in the upper room.”

They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.

Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.

When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

He said to them, “Follow me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.

They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped.

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.

Shamgar

After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.

Footnotes

(a)3:16 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.

(b)3:24 or, “relieving himself”.