Shofetim 3
Orthodox Jewish Bible
3 Now these are the Goyim which Hashem let remain, to test Yisroel by them, even as many of Yisroel who had not known all the milchamot Kena’an;
2 Only so that the dorot of the Bnei Yisroel might have da’as, to teach them milchamah, such as before knew nothing thereof;
3 Namely, five rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and all the Kena’ani, and the Tzidoni, and the Chivi that dwelt in Har HaLevanon, from Har Baal-Chermon unto the entrance of Chamat.
4 And they were to test Yisroel by them, to know whether they would pay heed unto the Mitzvot Hashem, which He commanded their Avot by the yad Moshe.
5 And the Bnei Yisroel dwelt among the Kena’ani, Chitti, and Emori, and Perizzi, and Chivi, and Yevusi;
6 And they took their banot to be their nashim, and gave their banot to their banim, and served their elohim.
7 And the Bnei Yisroel did evil in the sight of Hashem, and forgot Hashem Eloheihem, and served Baalim and the Asherot.
8 Therefore the Af Hashem was hot against Yisroel, and He sold them into the yad Chushan Rishataim Melech Aram Naharayim [i.e., Upper Mesopotamia]; and the Bnei Yisroel served Chushan Rishataim eight years.
9 And when the Bnei Yisroel cried unto Hashem, Hashem raised up a Moshia (Deliverer, Savior) to the Bnei Yisroel, who saved them, even Otniel ben Kenaz, Kalev’s younger brother.
10 And the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem came upon him, and he judged Yisroel, and went out to milchamah; and Hashem delivered Chushan Rishataim Melech Aram into his yad; and his yad prevailed against Chushan Rishataim.
11 And the land had rest arba’im shanah. And Otniel ben Kenaz died.
12 And the Bnei Yisroel did rah again in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem strengthened Eglon Melech Moav against Yisroel, because they had done rah in the sight of Hashem.
13 And he gathered unto him the Bnei Ammon and Amalek, and went and attacked Yisroel, and possessed the Ir HaTemarim.
14 So the Bnei Yisroel served Eglon Melech Moav eighteen years.
15 But when the Bnei Yisroel cried unto Hashem, Hashem raised them up a Moshi’a, Ehud ben Gera, from the tribe of Binyamin, a man left-handed; and by him the Bnei Yisroel sent a minchah unto Eglon Melech Moav.
16 But Ehud made him a cherev 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 minchah unto Eglon Melech Moav; and Eglon was an ish bari me’od (very fat man).
18 And when he had made an end to offer the minchah, he sent away the people that carried the minchah (tribute).
19 But he himself turned back at the pesilim near Gilgal, and said, I have a devar seter (secret message) for thee O melech; he said, Keep silence! And all that stood by attending him went out from him.
20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in an aliyyat hamekerah (upper room for cooling), which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a devar Elohim unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
21 And Ehud put forth his semol (left hand), and drew the cherev from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly;
22 And even the hilt went in after the blade; and the chelev closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the cherev out of his belly; it came out the back.
23 Then Ehud went forth through the front hall, and shut the daletot of the aliyyah behind him, and locked them.
24 When he was gone out, his avadim came; and when they saw that, hinei, the daletot of the aliyyah were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet [i.e. relieves himself] in the chedar hamekerah (inner cool room).
25 And they tarried till bosh (embarrassed); and, hinei, he opened not the daletot of the aliyyah; therefore they took a mafte’ach (key), and unlocked them; and, hinei, their adon was fallen on the floor dead.
26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the pesilim, and escaped unto Seirah.
27 And it came to pass, when he arrived, that he blew a shofar in the har Ephrayim, and the Bnei Yisroel went down with him from the har, and he before them.
28 And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Hashem hath delivered your enemies Moav into your yad. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Yarden toward Moav, and allowed not an ish to pass over.
29 And they struck down Moav at that time about ten thousand ish, all strong ish chayil; and there escaped not an ish.
30 So Moav was subdued that day under the yad Yisroel. And HaAretz had rest fourscore shanah.
31 And after him was Shamgar ben Anat, which struck down of the Pelishtim (Philistines) six hundred ish with an ox goad; and he also saved Yisroel.
Judges 3
World English Bible
3 Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to test Israel by them, even as many 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 least those who knew nothing of it before: 3 the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. 4 They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to Yahweh’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses. 5 The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods. 7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8 Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years. 9 When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 Yahweh’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim. 11 The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. 13 He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees. 14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit[a] in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh. 17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.”
The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.
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. 21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body. 22 The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. 23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
24 After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet[b] in the upper room.” 25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.
26 Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.
28 He said to them, “Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over. 29 They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.
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