Judges 3

¹Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Copy Many Bible Versions

²Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Copy Many Bible Versions

³Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal–hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. Copy Many Bible Versions

⁴And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. Copy Many Bible Versions

⁵And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: Copy Many Bible Versions

⁶And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. Copy Many Bible Versions

⁷And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Copy Many Bible Versions

⁸Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan–rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan–rishathaim eight years. Copy Many Bible Versions

⁹And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹⁰And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan–rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan–rishathaim. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹¹And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹²And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹³And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹⁴So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹⁵But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹⁶But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹⁷And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹⁸And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. Copy Many Bible Versions

¹⁹But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. Copy Many Bible Versions

²⁰And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. Copy Many Bible Versions

²¹And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: Copy Many Bible Versions

²²And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. Copy Many Bible Versions

²³Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. Copy Many Bible Versions

²⁴When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. Copy Many Bible Versions

²⁵And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. Copy Many Bible Versions

²⁶And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. Copy Many Bible Versions

²⁷And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. Copy Many Bible Versions

²⁸And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. Copy Many Bible Versions

²⁹And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. Copy Many Bible Versions

³⁰So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. Copy Many Bible Versions

³¹And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. Copy Many Bible Versions