“1 Now 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; 2 Only that the generations of the children of
Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before
knew nothing thereof; 3 [Namely], five lords of the Philistines, and
all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in
mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.
4 And 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. 5 And the children of Israel dwelt
among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and
Hivites, and Jebusites: 6 And they took their daughters to be their
wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their
gods. 7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the
LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the
groves.”
“8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he
sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia:
and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. 9
And 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. 10 And the Spirit
of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to
war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia
into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. 11
And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz
died.”
“12 And 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. 13 And
he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and
smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 14 So the
children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15
But 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. 16 But 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. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of
Moab: and Eglon [was] a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end
to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
19 But 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. 20
And 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. 21 And Ehud put forth
his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust
it into his belly: 22 And 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. 23 Then Ehud went forth
through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and
locked them. 24 When 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. 25 And 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. 26 And Ehud
escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and
escaped unto Seirath. 27 And 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. 28 And
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. 29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand
men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the
land had rest fourscore years .”
“31 And 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.” (Judges 3:1-31 AV)
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