The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 These are the nations which ADONAI allowed to remain, in order to put to the test all the people of Isra'el who had not known any of the wars with Kena'an.
1
These are the nations the LORD left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan.
2 This was only so that the generations of Isra'el who had previously known nothing of war might learn about it.
2
The LORD left them to teach Israel's descendants about war, at least those who had known nothing about it in the past.
3 These nations consisted of the five chiefs of the P'lishtim, all the Kena'ani, the Tzidoni, and the Hivi who lived in the hills of the L'vanon between Mount Ba'al-Hermon and the entrance to Hamat.
3
He left the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to the border of Hamath.
4 They stayed there to test whether Isra'el would pay attention to the mitzvot of ADONAI, which, through Moshe, he had ordered their ancestors to obey.
4
These nations were left to test the Israelites, to find out if they would obey the commands the LORD had given their ancestors through Moses.
5 So the people of Isra'el lived among the Kena'ani, Hitti, Emori, P'rizi, Hivi and Y'vusi;
5
So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
6 taking their daughters as their wives, giving their own daughters to their sons and serving their gods.
6
The Israelites allowed their sons and daughters to marry these people. Israel also served their gods.
7 Thus the people of Isra'el did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, forgot ADONAI their God, and served the ba'alim and asherim.
7
The people of Israel did what the LORD considered evil. They forgot the LORD their God and served other gods and goddesses--the Baals and the Asherahs.
8 Therefore the anger of ADONAI blazed against Isra'el, and he gave them over into the hands of Kushan-Rish'atayim king of Aram-Naharayim; and the people of Isra'el served Kushan-Rish'atayim eight years.
8
The LORD became angry with the people of Israel. He used King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim to defeat them. So Israel served Cushan Rishathaim for eight years.
9 But when the people of Isra'el cried out to ADONAI, ADONAI raised up a savior for the people of Isra'el; and he rescued them; this was 'Otni'el, the son of Kalev's younger brother K'naz.
9
Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. The LORD sent a savior to rescue them. It was Othniel, son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz.
10 The spirit of ADONAI came upon him, and he judged Isra'el. Then he went out to war, and ADONAI gave Kushan-Rish'atayim king of Aram into his hands; his power prevailed against Kushan-Rish'atayim.
10
When the LORD's Spirit came over him, he became the judge of Israel. He went out to war. The LORD handed King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim over to him, and Othniel overpowered him.
11 So the land had rest for forty years, until 'Otni'el the son of K'naz died.
11
So there was finally peace in the land for 40 years. Then Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.
12 But the people of Isra'el again did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, so ADONAI strengthened 'Eglon the king of Mo'av against Isra'el, because they had done what was evil from ADONAI's perspective.
12
Once again, the people of Israel did what the LORD considered evil. So the LORD made King Eglon of Moab stronger than Israel, because Israel did what the LORD considered evil.
13 In confederation with the people of 'Amon and 'Amalek, 'Eglon went out and defeated Isra'el, capturing the City of Date-Palms;
13
Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to help him, and they defeated the Israelites and occupied the City of Palms.
14 and the people of Isra'el served 'Eglon the king of Mo'av eighteen years.
14
The Israelites served King Eglon of Moab for 18 years.
15 But when the people of Isra'el cried out to ADONAI, ADONAI raised up for them a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, from the tribe of Binyamin, a left-handed man. The people of Isra'el appointed him to take their tribute to 'Eglon the king of Mo'av.
15
Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. The LORD sent a savior to rescue them. It was Ehud, a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin. (Ehud was the son of Gera.) The people sent him with their tax payment to King Eglon of Moab.
16 Ehud made himself a double-edged sword eighteen inches long and strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes.
16
Ehud made a two-edged dagger for himself. He fastened it to his right side under his clothes.
17 Then he presented the tribute to 'Eglon king of Mo'av. Now 'Eglon was a very fat man.
17
Then he brought the tax payment to King Eglon. (Eglon was a very fat man.)
18 When he had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who had brought it.
18
When Ehud had finished delivering the payment, he sent back the men who had carried it.
19 But he himself, after reaching the quarries at Gilgal, went back and said, "King, I have a secret message for you." The king commanded silence, and all his attendants withdrew.
19
However, Ehud turned around at the stone idols near Gilgal [and returned to Eglon]. He said, "Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you." The king replied, "Keep quiet!" Then all his advisers left the room.
20 Ehud came to him; he was sitting alone by himself in his upstairs room, where it was cool. Ehud said: "I have a message from God for you." As the king arose from his seat,
20
Ehud came up to him as he sat alone in his room on the roof. He said to the king, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his throne,
21 Ehud reached out with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into the king's belly.
21
Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right side, and plunged it into Eglon's belly.
22 The hilt too went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly, so that it came out behind.
22
Even the handle went in after the blade. Eglon's fat covered the blade because Ehud didn't pull the dagger out. The blade stuck out in back.
23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, shut the doors of the upstairs room behind him and locked them.
23
Ehud left the room. (He had closed and locked the doors of the room before he left.)
24 After Ehud had left, the king's servants came. Seeing that the doors of the upper room were locked, they said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner part of the cool room."
24
After Ehud went out, Eglon's advisers came in. They were surprised that the doors were locked. "He must be using the toilet," they said.
25 They waited until they became embarrassed, but he still didn't open the doors of the upstairs room. So they took the key and opened them; and there before them lay their master, dead on the ground.
25
They waited and waited, but Eglon didn't open the doors. So they took the key and opened the door. They were shocked to see their ruler lying on the floor, dead.
26 But while they were delaying, Ehud escaped- he passed beyond the quarries and arrived safely in Se'irah.
26
While they had been waiting, Ehud escaped. He went past the stone idols and escaped to Seirah.
27 Upon arrival in the hills of Efrayim, he began sounding the call on the shofar; and the people of Isra'el went down with him from the hill-country; he himself took the lead.
27
When he arrived there, he blew a ram's horn in the mountains of Ephraim [to summon the troops]. So the troops of Israel came down from the mountains with him, and he led them.
28 He said to them: "Follow me, because ADONAI has given your enemy Mo'av into your hands. They went down after him, seized the fords of the Yarden opposite Mo'av and permitted no one to cross.
28
He told them, "Follow me! The LORD will hand your enemy Moab over to you." They followed him and captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River that led to Moab and refused to let anyone cross.
29 On that occasion they defeated Mo'av, some ten thousand men, all tough, experienced soldiers; not one of them escaped.
29
At that time they killed about ten thousand of Moab's best fighting men. Not one of them escaped.
30 Thus was Mo'av subdued that day under the power of Isra'el. Then the land had rest for eighty years.
30
The power of Moab was crushed by Israel that day. So there was finally peace in the land for 80 years.
31 After Ehud came Shamgar the son of 'Anat, who killed 600 P'lishtim with an oxgoad; and he too rescued Isra'el.
31
After Ehud came Shamgar, son of Anath. He killed 600 Philistines with a sharp stick used for herding oxen. So he, too, rescued Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.