Judges 3

Now these are the nations which Allah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2only that the generations of Bani-Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it: 3namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. 4They were left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Allah, which he commanded their fathers by Musa. 5Bani-Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: 6and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and worshiped their gods. 7Bani-Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Allah, and forgot Allah their God, and worshiped the Baals and the Asheroth. 8Therefore the anger of Allah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and Bani-Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years. 9When Bani-Israel cried to Allah, Allah raised up a saviour to Bani-Israel, who saved them, even Othniel Ibn Kenaz, Qalib’s younger brother. 10The Spirit of Allah came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Allah delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim. 11The land had rest forty years. Othniel Ibn Kenaz died. 12Bani-Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Allah: and Allah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Allah. 13He gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees. 14Bani-Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15But when Bani-Israel cried to Allah, Allah raised them up a saviour, Ehud Ibn Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. Bani-Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh. 17He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man. 18When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute. 19But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand to you, king. He said, Keep silence. All who stood by him went out from him. 20Ehud 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. 21Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body: 22and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. 23Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them. 24Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber. 25They waited until they were ashamed; and, behold, he did not open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah. 27It happened, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim; and Bani-Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them. 28He said to them, Follow after me; for Allah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. They went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and did not allow a man to pass over. 29They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valour; and there escaped not a man. 30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. The land had rest eighty years. 31After him was Shamgar Ibn Anath, who struck of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad: and he also saved Israel.

 

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