JPS - Judges - 3

3:1  Now these are the nations which HaShem left, to prove Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

3:2  only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof;

3:3  namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.

3:4  And they were there, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of HaShem, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

3:5  And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

3:6  and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

3:7  And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of HaShem, and forgot HaShem their G-d, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

3:8  Therefore the anger of HaShem was kindled against Israel, and He gave them over into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

3:9  And when the children of Israel cried unto HaShem, HaShem raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

3:10  And the spirit of HaShem came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and HaShem delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.

3:11  And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

3:12  And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of HaShem; and HaShem strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of HaShem.

3:13  And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.

3:14  And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

3:15  But when the children of Israel cried unto HaShem, HaShem raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed; and the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.

3:16  And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

3:17  And he offered the present unto Eglon king of Moab--now Eglon was a very fat man.

3:18  And when he had made an end of offering the present, he sent away the people that bore the present.

3:19  But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said: 'I have a secret errand unto thee, O king.' And he said: 'Keep silence.' And all that stood by him went out from him.

3:20  And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in his cool upper chamber. And Ehud said: 'I have a message from G-d unto thee.' And he arose out of his seat.

3:21  And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

3:22  And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his belly; and it came out behind.

3:23  Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and locked them.

3:24  Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked; and they, said: 'Surely he is covering his feet in the cabinet of the cool chamber.'

3:25  And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper chamber; therefore they took the key, and opened them; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

3:26  And Ehud escaped while they lingered, having passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.

3:27  And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a horn in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.

3:28  And he said unto them: 'Follow after me; for HaShem hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.' And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.

3:29  And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valour; and there escaped not a man.

3:30  So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

3:31  And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad; and he also saved Israel.