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Judges 2:10-3:31
New International Version

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.(A) 11 Then the Israelites did evil(B) in the eyes of the Lord(C) and served the Baals.(D) 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods(E) of the peoples around them.(F) They aroused(G) the Lord’s anger(H) 13 because they forsook(I) him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.(J) 14 In his anger(K) against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands(L) of raiders who plundered(M) them. He sold them(N) into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.(O) 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them(P) to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.(Q)

16 Then the Lord raised up judges,[a](R) who saved(S) them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted(T) themselves to other gods(U) and worshiped them.(V) They quickly turned(W) from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.(X) 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved(Y) them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented(Z) because of their groaning(AA) under those who oppressed and afflicted(AB) them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt(AC) than those of their ancestors,(AD) following other gods and serving and worshiping them.(AE) They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn(AF) ways.

20 Therefore the Lord was very angry(AG) with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant(AH) I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out(AI) before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test(AJ) Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.(AK)

3 These are the nations the Lord left to test(AL) all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five(AM) rulers of the Philistines,(AN) all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites(AO) living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon(AP) to Lebo Hamath.(AQ) 4 They were left to test(AR) the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

5 The Israelites lived(AS) among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,(AT) Hivites and Jebusites.(AU) 6 They took their daughters(AV) in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.(AW)

Othniel

7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord(AX) their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.(AY) 8 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold(AZ) them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim(BA) king of Aram Naharaim,[b](BB) to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out(BC) to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer,(BD) Othniel(BE) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him,(BF) so that he became Israel’s judge[c] and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim(BG) king of Aram(BH) into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace(BI) for forty years,(BJ) until Othniel son of Kenaz(BK) died.

Ehud

12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,(BL) and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab(BM) power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites(BN) and Amalekites(BO) to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.[d](BP) 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab(BQ) for eighteen years.

15 Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer(BR)—Ehud(BS), a left-handed(BT) man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute(BU) to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud(BV) had made a double-edged sword about a cubit[e] long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute(BW) to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.(BX) 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. 19 But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”

The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left.

20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace[f](BY) and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose(BZ) from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword(CA) from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch[g]; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself(CB) in the inner room of the palace.” 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment,(CC) but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.

26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet(CD) in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.

28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab,(CE) your enemy, into your hands.(CF)” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan(CG) that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30 That day Moab(CH) was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace(CI) for eighty years.

Shamgar

31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath,(CJ) who struck down six hundred(CK) Philistines(CL) with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:16 Or leaders; similarly in verses 17-19
  2. Judges 3:8 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  3. Judges 3:10 Or leader
  4. Judges 3:13 That is, Jericho
  5. Judges 3:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  6. Judges 3:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verse 24.
  7. Judges 3:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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Judges 2:10-3:31
New King James Version

10 When all that generation had [a]been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who (A)did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

11 Then the children of Israel did (B)evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; 12 and they (C)forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed (D)other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they (E)bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They forsook the Lord (F)and served [b]Baal and the [c]Ashtoreths. 14 (G)And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He (H)delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and (I)He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they (J)could no longer stand before their enemies. 15 Wherever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for calamity, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had (K)sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed.

16 Nevertheless, (L)the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they (M)played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so. 18 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, (N)the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; (O)for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. 19 And it came to pass, (P)when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.

20 Then the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He said, “Because this nation has (Q)transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, 21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua (R)left when he died, 22 so (S)that through them I may (T)test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.” 23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua.

The Nations Remaining in the Land

3 Now these are (U)the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not [d]known any of the wars in Canaan 2 (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it), 3 namely, (V)five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. 4 And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to [e]know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 (W)Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 And (X)they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons; and they served their gods.

Othniel

7 So the children of Israel did (Y)evil in the sight of the Lord. They (Z)forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baals and [f]Asherahs. 8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He (AA)sold them into the hand of (AB)Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years. 9 When the children of Israel (AC)cried out to the Lord, the Lord (AD)raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: (AE)Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 (AF)The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Ehud

12 (AG)And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened (AH)Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and (AI)Amalek, went and [g]defeated Israel, and took possession of (AJ)the City of Palms. 14 So the children of Israel (AK)served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel (AL)cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a (AM)left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh. 17 So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.) 18 And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back (AN)from the [h]stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.”

He said, “Keep silence!” And all who attended him went out from him.

20 So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 Even the [i]hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. 23 Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 When he had gone out, [j]Eglon’s servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, “He is probably (AO)attending[k] to his needs in the cool chamber.” 25 So they waited till they were (AP)embarrassed, and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them. And there was their master, fallen dead on the floor.

26 But Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the [l]stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 And it happened, when he arrived, that (AQ)he blew the trumpet in the (AR)mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and [m]he led them. 28 Then he said to them, “Follow me, for (AS)the Lord has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, seized the (AT)fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over. 29 And at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; not a man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And (AU)the land had rest for eighty years.

Shamgar

31 After him was (AV)Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines (AW)with an ox goad; (AX)and he also delivered (AY)Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:10 Died and joined their ancestors
  2. Judges 2:13 A Canaanite god
  3. Judges 2:13 Canaanite goddesses
  4. Judges 3:1 experienced
  5. Judges 3:4 find out
  6. Judges 3:7 Name or symbol for Canaanite goddesses
  7. Judges 3:13 struck
  8. Judges 3:19 Tg. quarries
  9. Judges 3:22 handle
  10. Judges 3:24 Lit. his
  11. Judges 3:24 Lit. covering his feet
  12. Judges 3:26 Tg. quarries
  13. Judges 3:27 Lit. he went before them
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Judges 2:10-3:31
New American Standard Bible

10 All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and another generation rose up after them who (A)did not know the Lord, nor even the work which He had done for Israel.

Israel Serves the Baals

11 Then the sons of Israel did (B)evil in the sight of the Lord and [a]served the (C)Baals, 12 and (D)they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them; so they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They abandoned the Lord and (E)served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14 (F)Then the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He handed them over to plunderers, and they plundered them; and (G)He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand [b]against their enemies. 15 Wherever they went, the hand of the Lord was against them for [c]evil, as the Lord had spoken and (H)just as the Lord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.

16 (I)Then the Lord raised up judges [d]who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they [e]committed infidelity with other gods and bowed down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way (J)in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do the same as their fathers. 18 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, (K)the Lord was with the judge and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was (L)moved to pity by their groaning because of those who tormented and oppressed them. 19 But it came about, when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their obstinate ways. 20 (M)So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has violated My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to My voice, 21 (N)I in turn will no longer drive out from them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to (O)test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers [f]did, or not.” 23 So the Lord allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not hand them over to Joshua.

Idolatry Leads to Servitude

3 (P)Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them (that is, all the Israelites who had not [g]experienced any of the wars of Canaan; 2 only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might [h]be taught war, [i]those who had not [j]experienced it previously). 3 These nations are: the five governors of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians, and (Q)the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as [k]Lebo-hamath. 4 They were left to (R)test Israel by them, to find out if they would [l]obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers [m]through Moses. 5 (S)The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; 6 and (T)they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 So the sons of Israel did (U)what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they (V)forgot the Lord their God and (W)served the Baals and the [n]Asheroth. 8 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim, king of [o]Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

The First Judge Frees Israel

9 But the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to set them free, (X)Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 And (Y)the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went to war, the Lord handed over to him Cushan-rishathaim king of [p]Mesopotamia, so that [q]he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 Then the land was at rest for forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 Now the sons of Israel again (Z)did evil in the sight of the Lord. So (AA)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 to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and [r]defeated Israel, and they took possession of (AB)the city of the palm trees. 14 And the sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab for eighteen years.

Ehud Kills Eglon

15 But when the sons of Israel (AC)cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by [s]him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he strapped it on his right thigh under his cloak. 17 Then he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And it came about, when he had finished presenting the tribute, that Ehud sent away the people who had carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And the king said, “Silence!” And all who were attending him left him. 20 Then Ehud came to him while he was sitting in his cool roof chamber alone. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he got up from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached out with his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 The hilt of the sword also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade because he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and [t]the refuse came out. 23 Then Ehud went out into the [u]vestibule, and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them.

24 When he had left, [v]the king’s servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; and they said, “(AD)Undoubtedly he is [w]relieving himself in the cool room.” 25 So they waited [x]until it would have been shameful to wait longer; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber. So they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the [y]floor dead.

26 Now Ehud escaped while they were hesitating, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 And [z]when he arrived, (AE)he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was [aa]leading them. 28 Then he said to them, “Pursue them, for the Lord has handed your enemies the Moabites over to you.” So they went down after him and took control of (AF)the crossing places of the Jordan opposite Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross. 29 They struck and killed about ten thousand Moabites at that time, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was at rest for eighty years.

Shamgar Saves Israel

31 Now after him came (AG)Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck and killed six hundred Philistines with an [ab]oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:11 Or worshiped
  2. Judges 2:14 Lit before
  3. Judges 2:15 Or misfortune
  4. Judges 2:16 Lit and they
  5. Judges 2:17 I.e., against God
  6. Judges 2:22 Lit kept
  7. Judges 3:1 Lit known
  8. Judges 3:2 Lit know, to teach them
  9. Judges 3:2 Lit only those
  10. Judges 3:2 Lit known
  11. Judges 3:3 Or the entrance of Hamath
  12. Judges 3:4 Lit listen to
  13. Judges 3:4 Lit by the hand of
  14. Judges 3:7 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  15. Judges 3:8 Heb Aram-naharaim
  16. Judges 3:10 Heb Aram
  17. Judges 3:10 Lit his hand was strong
  18. Judges 3:13 Lit struck
  19. Judges 3:15 Lit his hand
  20. Judges 3:22 Meaning of the Heb uncertain, but perhaps excrement
  21. Judges 3:23 Meaning uncertain
  22. Judges 3:24 Lit his
  23. Judges 3:24 Lit covering his feet; a euphemism referring to a squatting position
  24. Judges 3:25 Lit until shaming
  25. Judges 3:25 Lit earth
  26. Judges 3:27 Lit it happened
  27. Judges 3:27 Lit before them
  28. Judges 3:31 I.e., a spiked stick for driving livestock
Close NLT

Judges 2:10-3:31
New Living Translation

Israel Disobeys the Lord

10 After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.

11 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. 13 They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. 14 This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. 15 Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress.

The Lord Rescues His People

16 Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers. 17 Yet Israel did not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands.

18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the Lord took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

20 So the Lord burned with anger against Israel. He said, “Because these people have violated my covenant, which I made with their ancestors, and have ignored my commands, 21 I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. 22 I did this to test Israel—to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.” 23 That is why the Lord left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.

The Nations Left in Canaan

3 These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan. 2 He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle. 3 These are the nations: the Philistines (those living under the five Philistine rulers), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath. 4 These people were left to test the Israelites—to see whether they would obey the commands the Lord had given to their ancestors through Moses.

5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, 6 and they intermarried with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods.

Othniel Becomes Israel’s Judge

7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. 8 Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim.[a] And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the Lord gave Othniel victory over him. 11 So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Ehud Becomes Israel’s Judge

12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil. 13 Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms. 14 And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

15 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. 16 So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot[b] long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. 17 He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

18 After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute. 19 But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.”

So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.

20 Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied.[c] 23 Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.[d]

24 After Ehud was gone, the king’s servants returned and found the doors to the upstairs room locked. They thought he might be using the latrine in the room, 25 so they waited. But when the king didn’t come out after a long delay, they became concerned and got a key. And when they opened the doors, they found their master dead on the floor.

26 While the servants were waiting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols on his way to Seirah. 27 When he arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Ehud sounded a call to arms. Then he led a band of Israelites down from the hills.

28 “Follow me,” he said, “for the Lord has given you victory over Moab your enemy.” So they followed him. And the Israelites took control of the shallow crossings of the Jordan River across from Moab, preventing anyone from crossing.

29 They attacked the Moabites and killed about 10,000 of their strongest and most able-bodied warriors. Not one of them escaped. 30 So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for eighty years.

Shamgar Becomes Israel’s Judge

31 After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.

Footnotes

  1. 3:8 Aram-naharaim means “Aram of the two rivers,” thought to have been located between the Euphrates and Balih Rivers in northwestern Mesopotamia.
  2. 3:16 Hebrew gomed, the length of which is uncertain.
  3. 3:22 Or and it came out behind.
  4. 3:23 Or and went out through the porch; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Listen to Judges 2:10-3:31
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Judges 2:10-3:31
The Message

10 Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn’t know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel.

* * *

11-15 The People of Israel did evil in God’s sight: they served Baal-gods; they deserted God, the God of their parents who had led them out of Egypt; they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them! And oh, how they angered God as they worshiped god Baal and goddess Astarte! God’s anger was hot against Israel: He handed them off to plunderers who stripped them; he sold them cheap to enemies on all sides. They were helpless before their enemies. Every time they walked out the door God was with them—but for evil, just as God had said, just as he had sworn he would do. They were in a bad way.

16-17 But then God raised up judges who saved them from their plunderers. But they wouldn’t listen to their judges; they prostituted themselves to other gods—worshiped them! They lost no time leaving the road walked by their parents, the road of obedience to God’s commands. They refused to have anything to do with it.

18-19 When God was setting up judges for them, he would be right there with the judge: He would save them from their enemies’ oppression as long as the judge was alive, for God was moved to compassion when he heard their groaning because of those who afflicted and beat them. But when the judge died, the people went right back to their old ways—but even worse than their parents!—running after other gods, serving and worshiping them. Stubborn as mules, they didn’t drop a single evil practice.

20-22 And God’s anger blazed against Israel. He said, “Because these people have thrown out my covenant that I commanded their parents and haven’t listened to me, I’m not driving out one more person from the nations that Joshua left behind when he died. I’ll use them to test Israel and see whether they stay on God’s road and walk down it as their parents did.”

23 That’s why God let those nations remain. He didn’t drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them.

3 1-4 These are the nations that God left there, using them to test the Israelites who had no experience in the Canaanite wars. He did it to train the descendants of Israel, the ones who had no battle experience, in the art of war. He left the five Philistine tyrants, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to Hamath’s Pass. They were there to test Israel and see whether they would obey God’s commands that were given to their parents through Moses.

5-6 But the People of Israel made themselves at home among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. They married their daughters and gave their own daughters to their sons in marriage. And they worshiped their gods.

Othniel

7-8 The People of Israel did evil in God’s sight. They forgot their God and worshiped the Baal gods and Asherah goddesses. God’s hot anger blazed against Israel. He sold them off to Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. The People of Israel were in servitude to Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.

9-10 The People of Israel cried out to God and God raised up a savior who rescued them: Caleb’s nephew Othniel, son of his younger brother Kenaz. The Spirit of God came on him and he rallied Israel. He went out to war and God gave him Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. Othniel made short work of him.

11 The land was quiet for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Ehud

12-14 But the People of Israel went back to doing evil in God’s sight. So God made Eglon king of Moab a power against Israel because they did evil in God’s sight. He recruited the Ammonites and Amalekites and went out and struck Israel. They took the City of Palms. The People of Israel were in servitude to Eglon fourteen years.

15-19 The People of Israel cried out to God and God raised up for them a savior, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjaminite. He was left-handed. The People of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon king of Moab. Ehud made himself a short two-edged sword and strapped it on his right thigh under his clothes. He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Eglon was grossly fat. After Ehud finished presenting the tribute, he went a little way with the men who had carried it. But when he got as far as the stone images near Gilgal, he went back and said, “I have a private message for you, O King.”

The king told his servants, “Leave.” They all left.

20-24 Ehud approached him—the king was now quite alone in his cool rooftop room—and said, “I have a word of God for you.” Eglon stood up from his throne. Ehud reached with his left hand and took his sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s big belly. Not only the blade but the hilt went in. The fat closed in over it so he couldn’t pull it out. Ehud slipped out by way of the porch and shut and locked the doors of the rooftop room behind him. Then he was gone.

When the servants came, they saw with surprise that the doors to the rooftop room were locked. They said, “He’s probably relieving himself in the restroom.”

25 They waited. And then they worried—no one was coming out of those locked doors. Finally, they got a key and unlocked them. There was their master, fallen on the floor, dead!

26-27 While they were standing around wondering what to do, Ehud was long gone. He got past the stone images and escaped to Seirah. When he got there, he sounded the trumpet on Mount Ephraim. The People of Israel came down from the hills and joined him. He took his place at their head.

28 He said, “Follow me, for God has given your enemies—yes, Moab!—to you.” They went down after him and secured the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites. They let no one cross over.

29-30 At that time, they struck down about ten companies of Moabites, all of them well-fed and robust. Not one escaped. That day Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel.

The land was quiet for eighty years.

Shamgar

31 Shamgar son of Anath came after Ehud. Using a cattle prod, he killed six hundred Philistines single-handed. He too saved Israel.

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