The Nations Remaining in the Land

Now these are (A)the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not [a]known any of the wars in Canaan (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), namely, (B)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. And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to [b]know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

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

Othniel

So the children of Israel did (E)evil in the sight of the Lord. They (F)forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baals and [c]Asherahs. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He (G)sold them into the hand of (H)Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years. When the children of Israel (I)cried out to the Lord, the Lord (J)raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: (K)Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 (L)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 (M)And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened (N)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 (O)Amalek, went and [d]defeated Israel, and took possession of (P)the City of Palms. 14 So the children of Israel (Q)served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel (R)cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a (S)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 (T)from the [e]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 [f]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, [g]Eglon’s servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, “He is probably (U)attending[h] to his needs in the cool chamber.” 25 So they waited till they were (V)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 [i]stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 And it happened, when he arrived, that (W)he blew the trumpet in the (X)mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and [j]he led them. 28 Then he said to them, “Follow me, for (Y)the Lord has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, seized the (Z)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 (AA)the land had rest for eighty years.

Shamgar

31 After him was (AB)Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines (AC)with an ox goad; (AD)and he also delivered (AE)Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 3:1 experienced
  2. Judges 3:4 find out
  3. Judges 3:7 Name or symbol for Canaanite goddesses
  4. Judges 3:13 struck
  5. Judges 3:19 Tg. quarries
  6. Judges 3:22 handle
  7. Judges 3:24 Lit. his
  8. Judges 3:24 Lit. covering his feet
  9. Judges 3:26 Tg. quarries
  10. Judges 3:27 Lit. he went before them

Ang Nahibilin nga mga Katawhan sa Canaan

Nagbilin ang Ginoo ug mga katawhan sa Canaan aron sulayan ang mga Israelinhon nga wala makasinati sa mga gira sa Canaan. Gihimo kini sa Ginoo aron tudloan bahin sa gira ang mga kaliwat sa mga Israelinhon nga wala pa makasinatig gira. Mao kini ang mga katawhan nga gipangbilin sa Ginoo: ang mga lumulupyo sa lima ka lungsod[a] sa mga Filistihanon, ang tanang mga Canaanhon, ang mga Sidonhon, ug ang mga Hebhanon nga nagpuyo sa mga bukid sa Lebanon, gikan sa Bukid sa Baal Hermon hangtod sa Lebo Hamat. Gipangbilin sila aron sulayan ang mga Israelinhon kon tumanon ba nila ang mga sugo nga gihatag sa Ginoo sa ilang mga katigulangan pinaagi kang Moises. Busa ang mga Israelinhon nagpuyo uban sa mga Canaanhon, Hitihanon, Amorihanon, Perisihanon, Hibihanon, ug mga Jebusihanon. Mitugot ang mga Israelinhon nga makigminyo ang ilang mga anak niini nga mga katawhan, ug misimba usab sila sa ilang mga dios.

Si Otniel

Nagpakasala ang mga Israelinhon atubangan sa Ginoo kay gikalimtan nila ang Ginoo nga ilang Dios ug misimba sa mga imahen ni Baal ug kang Ashera. Tungod niini, nasuko pag-ayo ang Ginoo kanila, busa gipasagdan niya sila nga mapildi ni Cushan Rishataim nga hari sa Aram Naharaim.[b] Nailalom sila sa iyang gahom sulod sa walo ka tuig. Apan sa dihang nagpakitabang ang mga Israelinhon sa Ginoo, nagpadala ang Ginoo ug tawo nga moluwas kanila. Siya mao si Otniel, ang anak ni Kenaz nga manghod ni Caleb. 10 Gigamhan siya sa Espiritu sa Ginoo, ug gipangulohan niya ang Israel. Nakig-away siya kang Cushan Rishataim nga hari sa Aram, ug gipadaog siya sa Ginoo. 11 Busa may kalinaw sa Israel sulod sa 40 ka tuig. Unya namatay si Otniel.

Si Ehud

12 Nagpakasala pag-usab ang mga Israelinhon atubangan sa Ginoo. Tungod niini, gipasakop sila sa Ginoo kang Eglon nga hari sa Moab. 13 Sa tabang sa mga Amonihanon ug Amalekanhon, gisulong ug gipildi ni Eglon ang Israel ug giilog ang lungsod sa Jerico.[c] 14 Nailalom sila sa gahom ni Eglon sulod sa 18 ka tuig.

15 Apan sa dihang nagpakitabang ang mga Israelinhon sa Ginoo, nagpadala ang Ginoo ug tawo nga moluwas kanila. Siya mao ang walhon nga si Ehud nga anak ni Gera, nga gikan sa tribo ni Benjamin. Gipaadto sa mga Israelinhon si Ehud kang Eglon nga hari sa Moab sa pagdala sa ilang buhis. 16 Sa wala pa siya naglakaw, naghimo siya ug usa ka punyal nga duhay sulab nga mga tunga sa metro ang gitas-on niini. Gihikot niya kini sa iyang tuo nga paa, ilalom sa iyang bisti. 17 Sa didto na siya, gihatag niya ang buhis kang Haring Eglon nga usa ka tambok kaayo nga tawo. 18 Human niya mahatag ang buhis, gipalakaw ni Ehud ang mga tawo nga nagdala niini. 19 Miuban siya kanila, apan pag-abot nila sa kinulitang mga bato duol sa Gilgal, mibalik si Ehud sa hari ug miingon, “Mahal nga hari, may sekreto akong isugilon kanimo.” Busa miingon ang hari sa iyang mga sulugoon, “Biyai una ninyo kami!” Ug mibiya ang tanan niyang mga sulugoon. 20 Unya miduol si Ehud sa hari nga nagainusarang naglingkod-lingkod didto sa iyang mabugnaw nga kuwarto sa ibabaw. Miingon si Ehud, “May mensahe ako kanimo gikan sa Dios.” Pagtindog sa hari gikan sa iyang gilingkoran, 21 gihulbot ni Ehud sa iyang walang kamot ang punyal nga diha sa iyang tuong paa, ug gidunggab ang hari sa tiyan. 22 Milubong ang punyal hasta ang pulohan niini ug natabonan sa tambok. Wala na kini ibta ni Ehud.

23 Unya migawas si Ehud ug gikandadohan niya ang mga pultahan. 24 Sa dihang nakabiya na si Ehud, namalik ang mga sulugoon sa hari ug nakita nila nga gikandadohan ang mga pultahan sa kuwarto. Abi nilag nangasilyas lang ang hari. 25 Busa naghulat-hulat sila sa gawas. Apan sa kadugayan wala na sila nahimutang kay wala gihapon ablihi sa hari ang mga pultahan. Busa gikuha nila ang yabi ug giablihan kini, ug nakita nila sa salog ang ilang hari nga patay na.

26 Apan nakaikyas na si Ehud samtang naghulat-hulat ang mga sulugoon nga ablihan sa hari ang mga pultahan. Miagi siya sa kinulitang mga bato ug miadto sa Seira. 27 Sa pag-abot niya didto, nagpatingog siya ug budyong didto sa kabungtoran sa Efraim aron sa pagtawag sa mga Israelinhon sa pagpakiggira. Ug milugsong ang mga Israelinhon gikan sa maong dapit nga pinangulohan ni Ehud. 28 Miingon siya kanila, “Sunod kamo kanako kay padag-on kamo sa Ginoo batok sa inyong mga kaaway nga mga Moabihanon.” Busa misunod sila kaniya ug giilog nila ang dapit nga tabokanan sa mga Moabihanon didto sa Suba sa Jordan. Wala gayod silay gipatabok bisan usa ka tawo. 29 Nianang adlawa nakapatay sila ug mga 10,000 ka kusgan ug maisog nga mga Moabihanon. Ug wala gayoy nakaikyas bisan usa. 30 Nianang adlawa gisakop sa Israel ang Moab, ug nagpuyo sila didto nga malinawon sulod sa 80 ka tuig.

Si Shamgar

31 Ang misunod nga pangulo kang Ehud mao si Shamgar nga anak ni Anat. Giluwas niya ang Israel sa mga Filistihanon. Gipamatay niya ang 600 ka mga Filistihanon pinaagi sa sungkod nga gigamit sa pang-abog sa baka.

Footnotes

  1. 3:3 lima ka lungsod: sa Hebreo, lima ka pangulo.
  2. 3:8 Aram Naharaim: usa ka dapit sa Mesopotamia.
  3. 3:13 lungsod sa Jerico: sa Hebreo, lungsod sa mga palma.

These are the nations the Lord left to test(A) all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): the five(B) rulers of the Philistines,(C) all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites(D) living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon(E) to Lebo Hamath.(F) They were left to test(G) the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

The Israelites lived(H) among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,(I) Hivites and Jebusites.(J) They took their daughters(K) in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.(L)

Othniel

The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord(M) their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.(N) The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold(O) them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim(P) king of Aram Naharaim,[a](Q) to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. But when they cried out(R) to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer,(S) Othniel(T) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him,(U) so that he became Israel’s judge[b] and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim(V) king of Aram(W) into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace(X) for forty years,(Y) until Othniel son of Kenaz(Z) died.

Ehud

12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,(AA) and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab(AB) power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites(AC) and Amalekites(AD) to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.[c](AE) 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab(AF) for eighteen years.

15 Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer(AG)—Ehud(AH), a left-handed(AI) man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute(AJ) to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud(AK) had made a double-edged sword about a cubit[d] long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute(AL) to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.(AM) 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[e](AN) and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose(AO) from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword(AP) 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[f]; 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(AQ) in the inner room of the palace.” 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment,(AR) 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(AS) 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,(AT) your enemy, into your hands.(AU)” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan(AV) 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(AW) was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace(AX) for eighty years.

Shamgar

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

Footnotes

  1. Judges 3:8 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  2. Judges 3:10 Or leader
  3. Judges 3:13 That is, Jericho
  4. Judges 3:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  5. Judges 3:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verse 24.
  6. Judges 3:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.