Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan
1
These are the nations the LORD left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan.
2 (only so that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war, at least such as before knew nothing thereof),
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 namely: five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baalhermon unto the entrance of Hamath.
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 And they were to test 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.
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 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites.
5
So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
6
The Israelites allowed their sons and daughters to marry these people. Israel also served their gods.
7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baalim and the Asherahs.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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;
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 and the land had rest forty years, and Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
11
So there was finally peace in the land for 40 years. Then Othniel, 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.
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 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
13
Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to help him, and they defeated the Israelites and occupied the City of Palms.
14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
14
The Israelites served King Eglon of Moab for 18 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.
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 But Ehud made himself a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
16
Ehud made a two-edged dagger for himself. He fastened it to his right side under his clothes.
17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab. And Eglon was a very fat man.
17
Then he brought the tax payment to King Eglon. (Eglon was a very fat man.)
18 And when he had made an end of offering the present, he sent away the people who bore the present.
18
When Ehud had finished delivering the payment, he sent back the men who had carried it.
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 who stood by him went out from him.
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 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, "I have a message from God unto thee." And he arose out of 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 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
21
Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right side, and plunged it into Eglon's 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.
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 forth through the porch and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them.
23
Ehud left the room. (He had closed and locked the doors of the room before he left.)
24 When he had gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, "Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber."
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 And they tarried till they were ashamed; and behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor. Therefore they took a key and opened them; and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
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 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries and escaped unto Seirah.
26
While they had been waiting, Ehud escaped. He went past the stone idols and escaped to Seirah.
27 And it came to pass, when he had 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.
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 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 the Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
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 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man.
29
At that time they killed about ten thousand of Moab's best fighting men. Not one of them escaped.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
30
The power of Moab was crushed by Israel that day. So there was finally peace in the land for 80 years.
31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.
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.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
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.