Judges 3 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
These are the Yahweh left in the land to Israel — specifically everyone who hadn't experienced any of the wars for Canaan.
He did this only so that future generations of Israelites — the ones who had never been in battle before — could learn warfare firsthand.
The five of the all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon all the way to
They were there to test Israel — to find out whether they would listen to the commands Yahweh had given their ancestors through Moses.
So the people of Israel lived among the the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
They married their daughters, gave their own daughters to their sons, and their
The people of Israel did what was in They forgot Yahweh their God and served the and the
Yahweh's against Israel, so he them to king of The people of Israel served for eight years.
But when the people of Israel out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a for them — Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother — and he rescued them.
The of came over him, and he Israel. He went out to war, and handed Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram over to him. His hand overpowered Cushan-rishathaim.
Then the land had for until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
But the people of Israel again did what was wrong in Yahweh's eyes. And because they did what was wrong in his eyes, Yahweh strengthened king of against Israel.
Eglon rallied the and to join him, and together they attacked and captured the of
So the people of Israel Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
Then the people of Israel cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up a rescuer for them — Ehud son of Gera the a man. The people of Israel sent him to deliver their to Eglon king of Moab.
Ehud made himself a about a foot and a half long, and strapped it to his under his clothes.
He presented the tribute payment to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was an man.
After Ehud finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the men who had carried it.
But he himself turned back at the near Gilgal and said, "I have a for you, Your Majesty." Eglon said, "Quiet!" — and all his attendants left the room.
Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in his Ehud said, "I have a from for you." And Eglon stood up from his seat.
Ehud reached with his drew the dagger from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon's
The handle went in after the and the the completely. He didn't pull the dagger out of his belly, and the out.
Then Ehud went out through the He closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
After he left, Eglon's servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, "He must be in the cool room."
They they were but he still didn't open the doors of the upper room. So they got the key and opened them — and there was their master, fallen on the floor, dead.
While they waited, Ehud escaped. He passed the carved stones and got away to
When he arrived, he blew a in the of The people of Israel came down from the hills with him, and he took the lead.
He told them, "Follow me, because Yahweh has handed your enemies the Moabites over to you!" They followed him down, seized the of the Jordan opposite Moab, and didn't let anyone cross.
They struck down about Moabites at that time — all Not a single one escaped.
So Moab was under Israel's hand that day. And the land had peace for
After Ehud came son of Anath. He struck down six hundred Philistines with an ox He too Israel.