1
And these are the nations that Yahuah left, to test Yisra’el by them—all who had not known any of the wars of Kena’an,
2
only so that the generations of the sons of Yisra’el might know, to teach them war—only those who formerly had not known it:
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the five rulers of the Pelishtim, and all the Kena’ani, and the Tzidoni, and the Chivvi who dwelt at Mount Levanon, from Mount Baal-Chermon as far as the entrance of Chamat.
4
And they were for testing Yisra’el by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Yahuah that He commanded their fathers by the hand of Mosheh.
5
And the sons of Yisra’el dwelt in the midst of the Kena’ani, the Chitti, and the Emori, and the Perizzi, and the Chivvi, and the Yevusi.
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And they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their elohim.
7
And the sons of Yisra’el did what was evil in the eyes of Yahuah, and forgot Yahuah their Elohim, and served the Baalim and the Asherot.
8
And the anger of Yahuah burned against Yisra’el, and He sold them into the hand of Kushan-Rishatayim king of Aram-Naharayim. And the sons of Yisra’el served Kushan-Rishatayim eight years.
9
And the sons of Yisra’el cried out to Yahuah, and Yahuah raised up a deliverer for the sons of Yisra’el, and he delivered them: Otniel son of Qenaz, younger brother of Kalev.
10
And the Ruach of Yahuah came upon him, and he judged Yisra’el and went out to war. And Yahuah gave Kushan-Rishatayim king of Aram into his hand, and his hand became strong against Kushan-Rishatayim.
11
And the land rested forty years. And Otniel son of Qenaz died.
12
And the sons of Yisra’el again did what was evil in the eyes of Yahuah. And Yahuah strengthened Eglon king of Moav against Yisra’el because they had done what was evil in the eyes of Yahuah.
13
And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amaleq, and went and struck Yisra’el, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
14
And the sons of Yisra’el served Eglon king of Moav eighteen years.
15
And the sons of Yisra’el cried out to Yahuah, and Yahuah raised up for them a deliverer: Ehud son of Gera, a Binyamini, an ish restricted in his right hand. And the sons of Yisra’el sent tribute by his hand to Eglon king of Moav.
16
And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit its length, and bound it beneath his garments upon his right thigh.
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And he brought the tribute near to Eglon king of Moav. And Eglon was an exceedingly fat ish.
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And it came to pass, when he had finished bringing the tribute near, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.
19
But he himself turned back from the carved stones that were near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret word for you, O king.” And he said, “Silence.” And all who stood beside him went out from upon him.
20
And Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool upper chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a word of Elohim for you.” And he rose from upon the seat.
21
And Ehud stretched out his left hand and took the sword from upon his right thigh and thrust it into his belly.
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And even the handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for he did not draw the sword out from his belly; and the waste came out.
23
And Ehud went out through the porch, and shut the doors of the upper chamber upon him and locked them.
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And after he had gone out, his servants came and saw, and see, the doors of the upper chamber were locked. And they said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the cool chamber.”
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And they waited until they were ashamed, and see, he did not open the doors of the upper chamber. So they took the key and opened them, and see, their master had fallen to the earth, dead.
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And Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the carved stones and escaped to Seirah.
27
And it came to pass, when he came, that he blew the shofar in the hill country of Efrayim, and the sons of Yisra’el went down with him from the hill country, and he before their face.
28
And he said to them, “Pursue after me, for Yahuah has given your enemies, Moav, into your hand.” And they went down after him and seized the crossings of the Yarden toward Moav, and did not permit an ish to cross.
29
And they struck Moav at that time, about ten thousand ish, every one stout and every one an ish of strength; and not an ish escaped.
30
And Moav was subdued that day beneath the hand of Yisra’el. And the land rested eighty years.
31
And after him was Shamgar son of Anat, and he struck the Pelishtim, six hundred ish, with an ox-goad. And he also delivered Yisra’el.