Juges 3
Nouvelle Edition de Genève – NEG1979
3 Voici les nations que l’Eternel laissa pour éprouver par elles Israël, tous ceux qui n’avaient pas connu toutes les guerres de Canaan. 2 Il voulait seulement que les générations des enfants d’Israël connaissent et apprennent la guerre, ceux qui ne l’avaient pas connue auparavant. 3 Ces nations étaient: les cinq princes des Philistins, tous les Cananéens, les Sidoniens, et les Héviens qui habitaient la montagne du Liban, depuis la montagne de Baal-Hermon jusqu’à l’entrée de Hamath. 4 Ces nations servirent à mettre Israël à l’épreuve, afin que l’Eternel sache s’ils obéiraient aux commandements qu’il avait prescrits à leurs pères par Moïse. 5 Et les enfants d’Israël habitèrent au milieu des Cananéens, des Héthiens, des Amoréens, des Phéréziens, des Héviens et des Jébusiens; 6 ils prirent leurs filles pour femmes, ils donnèrent à leurs fils leurs propres filles, et ils servirent leurs dieux.
Victoire d’Othniel sur le roi de Mésopotamie
7 Les enfants d’Israël firent ce qui déplaît à l’Eternel, ils oublièrent l’Eternel, et ils servirent les Baals et les idoles. 8 La colère de l’Eternel s’enflamma contre Israël, et il les vendit entre les mains de Cuschan-Rischeathaïm, roi de Mésopotamie. Et les enfants d’Israël furent asservis huit ans à Cuschan-Rischeathaïm.
9 Les enfants d’Israël crièrent à l’Eternel, et l’Eternel leur suscita un libérateur qui les délivra, Othniel, fils de Kenaz, frère cadet de Caleb. 10 L’Esprit de l’Eternel fut sur lui. Il devint juge en Israël, et il partit pour la guerre. L’Eternel livra entre ses mains Cuschan-Rischeathaïm, roi de Mésopotamie, et sa main fut puissante contre Cuschan-Rischeathaïm. 11 Le pays fut en repos pendant quarante ans. Et Othniel, fils de Kenaz, mourut.
Victoire d’Ehud sur Moab
12 Les enfants d’Israël firent encore ce qui déplaît à l’Eternel; et l’Eternel fortifia Eglon, roi de Moab, contre Israël, parce qu’ils avaient fait ce qui déplaît à l’Eternel. 13 Eglon réunit à lui les fils d’Ammon et les Amalécites, et il se mit en marche. Il battit Israël, et ils s’emparèrent de la ville des palmiers[a]. 14 Et les enfants d’Israël furent asservis dix-huit ans à Eglon, roi de Moab.
15 Les enfants d’Israël crièrent à l’Eternel, et l’Eternel leur suscita un libérateur, Ehud, fils de Guéra, Benjamite, qui ne se servait pas de la main droite. Les enfants d’Israël envoyèrent par lui un présent à Eglon, roi de Moab. 16 Ehud se fit une épée à deux tranchants, longue d’une coudée, et il la ceignit sous ses vêtements, au côté droit. 17 Il offrit le présent à Eglon, roi de Moab; or Eglon était un homme très gras. 18 Lorsqu’il eut achevé d’offrir le présent, il renvoya les gens qui l’avaient apporté. 19 Il revint lui-même depuis les carrières près de Guilgal, et il dit: O roi! j’ai quelque chose de secret à te dire. Le roi dit: Silence! Et tous ceux qui étaient auprès de lui sortirent. 20 Ehud l’aborda comme il était assis seul dans sa chambre d’été, et il dit: J’ai une parole de Dieu pour toi. Eglon se leva de son siège. 21 Alors Ehud avança la main gauche, tira l’épée de son côté droit, et la lui enfonça dans le ventre. 22 La poignée même entra après la lame, et la graisse se referma autour de la lame; car il ne retira pas du ventre l’épée, qui sortit par derrière. 23 Ehud sortit par le portique, ferma sur lui les portes de la chambre haute, et tira le verrou. 24 Quand il fut sorti, les serviteurs du roi vinrent et regardèrent; et voici, les portes de la chambre haute étaient fermées au verrou. Ils dirent: Sans doute il se couvre les pieds dans la chambre d’été. 25 Ils attendirent longtemps; et comme il n’ouvrait pas les portes de la chambre haute, ils prirent la clé et ouvrirent, et voici, leur maître était mort, étendu par terre. 26 Pendant qu’ils s’attardaient de la sorte, Ehud prit la fuite, dépassa les carrières, et se sauva à Séïra. 27 Dès qu’il fut arrivé, il sonna de la trompette dans la montagne d’Ephraïm. Les enfants d’Israël descendirent avec lui de la montagne, et il se mit à leur tête. 28 Il leur dit: Suivez-moi, car l’Eternel a livré entre vos mains les Moabites, vos ennemis. Ils descendirent après lui, s’emparèrent des gués du Jourdain vis-à-vis de Moab, et ne laissèrent passer personne. 29 Ils battirent dans ce temps-là environ dix mille hommes de Moab, tous robustes, tous vaillants, et pas un n’échappa. 30 En ce jour, Moab fut humilié sous la main d’Israël. Et le pays fut en repos pendant quatre-vingts ans.
Victoire de Schamgar sur les Philistins
31 Après lui, il y eut Schamgar, fils d’Anath. Il battit six cents hommes des Philistins avec un aiguillon à bœufs. Et lui aussi fut un libérateur d’Israël.
Footnotes
- Juges 3:13 La ville des palmiers, c.-à-d. Jéricho
Judges 3
New King James Version
The Nations Remaining in the Land
3 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 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, (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. 4 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.
5 (C)Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 And (D)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 (E)evil in the sight of the Lord. They (F)forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baals and [c]Asherahs. 8 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. 9 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
- Judges 3:1 experienced
- Judges 3:4 find out
- Judges 3:7 Name or symbol for Canaanite goddesses
- Judges 3:13 struck
- Judges 3:19 Tg. quarries
- Judges 3:22 handle
- Judges 3:24 Lit. his
- Judges 3:24 Lit. covering his feet
- Judges 3:26 Tg. quarries
- Judges 3:27 Lit. he went before them
Judges 3
EasyEnglish Bible
3 The Lord allowed some nations to stay in Canaan. He would use them to test the Israelites who had not yet fought wars in Canaan. 2 He wanted to teach the young men of Israel how to fight their enemies, because they had not fought battles before. 3 The nations who remained were:
the Philistines, with their five kings,
all the Canaanites,
the Sidonians,
the Hivites who lived in the Lebanon mountains, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo-Hamath.
4 These nations were still there to test the Israelites. The Lord wanted to know if his people would obey his commands. Those were the commands that he had told Moses to give to the ancestors of the Israelites.
5 So the Israelites lived among those other nations, the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 6 Some Israelites married young women from these nations. They also let their daughters marry Canaanite men. As a result, the Israelites started to worship the Canaanite gods.[a]
Othniel
7 The Israelites forgot to serve the Lord their God. They did things that he saw were evil. They worshipped idols of Baal and Asherah. 8 The Lord was very angry with the Israelites. He let King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim attack them. They were under his power for eight years.
9 Then the Israelites called out to the Lord for help. So he chose Othniel to be their leader. He was the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. Othniel rescued them from their enemies. 10 The Lord's Spirit gave Othniel power to lead Israel. Othniel led them to fight against King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram. The Lord helped Othniel to win the battle against the king. 11 As a result, the land of Israel had peace for 40 years. Then Kenaz's son Othniel died.
Ehud
12 Once again the Israelites did things that the Lord saw were evil. Because of this, the Lord gave Eglon, the king of Moab, power over Israel. 13 King Eglon made an agreement with the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join together to attack Israel. They attacked Jericho, ‘The City of Palm Trees’, and they took it for themselves. 14 The Israelites were under King Eglon's power for 18 years.
15 Again the Israelites called out to the Lord for help. He chose Ehud to be their leader. He was the son of Gera, from Benjamin's tribe. Ehud's strong hand was his left hand. The Israelites sent him to pay their taxes to King Eglon of Moab.
16 Ehud made a short sword that was sharp on both sides.[b] He tied it to the top of his right leg and he hid it under his coat. 17 He took the money to give to King Eglon, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had given the money to the king, he sent back home the men who had carried it. 19 But when Ehud reached the stone idols at Gilgal, he turned round to go back to the king. He said to King Eglon, ‘I have a secret message for you, sir!’ So the king said, ‘Leave us alone.’ All his servants went out. 20 The king was now sitting alone in his cool room on the roof of the palace. Ehud went near to the king and he said, ‘I have a message from God for you.’ The king started to get up from his chair. 21 Then Ehud used his left hand to take the sword from his right leg. He pushed it deep into the king's stomach. 22 The king's fat covered the whole sword, even its handle. Its point came out through the king's back. Ehud did not pull out the sword. He left it there. 23 Ehud went out of the room and he locked the doors. Then he escaped from the palace.
24 The king's servants came up to the room on the roof. They saw that the doors were locked. They thought that the king was using the toilet inside. 25 They waited for a long time and they started to worry. But the king still did not open the doors of his room. So they took the key and they opened the doors. Then they saw their master, the king! He was lying on the floor and he was dead.
26 While the servants were waiting outside the king's room, Ehud had escaped. He went past the stone idols, and he ran to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there in the hill country of Ephraim, he made a loud noise with a trumpet. He led the Israelites down from the hills. 28 He said to them, ‘Follow me! The Lord will put your enemy, the Moabites, under your power!’ The Israelites followed him to the Jordan River, near the border of Moab. They would not let anyone go across the river. 29 That day they killed about 10,000 Moabite soldiers. They were all strong, brave fighters, but none of them escaped. 30 The Israelites won the fight against Moab that day. The land of Israel had peace for 80 years.
Shamgar
31 After this, Anath's son Shamgar became Israel's leader. One time, he used a stick with a sharp point to kill 600 Philistines.[c] He rescued the Israelites from their enemies, as Ehud had done.
Footnotes
- 3:6 Many nations of people lived in Canaan before God gave it to the Israelites. The Philistines were sailors who lived in five cities near the Mediterranean Sea. The Moabites and the Ammonites were cousins of the Israelites. See Genesis 19:36-38. All these people worshipped false gods.
- 3:16 Ehud's sword was like a long knife, about 45 centimetres long.
- 3:31 They used sticks like this to push oxen to make them move and do work.
Nouvelle Edition de Genève Copyright © 1979 by Société Biblique de Genève
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2019 - Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved.