Judges - Chapter 3

3:1 Now these are the nations which Mar-Yah left, to prove Yisrael by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 3:2 only that the generations of the B'nai Yisrael might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it: 3:3 the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. 3:4 They were left to test Yisrael by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Mar-Yah, which he commanded their fathers by Mosha. 3:5 The B'nai Yisrael lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: 3:6 and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their deities. 3:7 The B'nai Yisrael did that which was evil in the sight of Mar-Yah, and forgot Mar-Yah their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 3:8 Therefore the anger of Mar-Yah was kindled against Yisrael, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the B'nai Yisrael served Cushan Rishathaim eight years. 3:9 When the B'nai Yisrael cried to Mar-Yah, Mar-Yah raised up a saviour to the B'nai Yisrael, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb. 3:10 The Spirit of Mar-Yah came on him, and he judged Yisrael; and he went out to war, and Mar-Yah delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim. 3:11 The land had rest forty years. Othniel the son of Kenaz died. 3:12 The B'nai Yisrael again did that which was evil in the sight of Mar-Yah: and Mar-Yah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Yisrael, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Mar-Yah. 3:13 He gathered to him the children of Amun and Amalek; and he went and struck Yisrael, and they possessed the city of palm trees. 3:14 The B'nai Yisrael served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 3:15 But when the B'nai Yisrael cried to Mar-Yah, Mar-Yah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The B'nai Yisrael sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 3:16 Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh. 3:17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man. 3:18 When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute. 3:19 But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret errand to you, king." The king said, "Keep silence!" All who stood by him went out from him.

3:20 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. 3:21 Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body: 3:22 and the handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. 3:23 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

3:24 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, "Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room." 3:25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he did not open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

3:26 Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah. 3:27 It happened, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the B'nai Yisrael went down with him from the hill country, and he before them.

3:28 He said to them, "Follow me; for Mar-Yah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and did not allow any man to pass over. 3:29 They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valour; and there escaped not a man. 3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Yisrael. The land had rest eighty years.

3:31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck of the Philistines six hundred men with an oxgoad: and he also saved Yisrael.