Judges 3

Israel's Disobedience and Idolatry Judges 3:5–7

⁵Verse 5. The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ⁶Verse 6. They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods. ⁷Verse 7. The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

Oppression by Cushan Rishathaim Judges 3:8–11

⁸Verse 8. Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years. ⁹Verse 9. When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. ¹⁰Verse 10. Yahweh’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim. ¹¹Verse 11. The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Eglon of Moab Oppresses Israel Judges 3:12–14

¹²Verse 12. The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. ¹³Verse 13. He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees. ¹⁴Verse 14. The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

Ehud's Secret Message Judges 3:15–20

¹⁵Verse 15. But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. ¹⁶Verse 16. Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh. ¹⁷Verse 17. He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. ¹⁸Verse 18. When he had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. ¹⁹Verse 19. But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.

²⁰Verse 20. Ehud 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.

Assassination of Eglon Judges 3:21–26

²¹Verse 21. Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body: ²²Verse 22. and the handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. ²³Verse 23. Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them. ²⁴Verse 24. After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”

²⁵Verse 25. They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor. ²⁶Verse 26. Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.

Victory Over Moab Judges 3:27–31

²⁷Verse 27. When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them. ²⁸Verse 28. He said to them, “Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over. ²⁹Verse 29. They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man, and every man of valor. No man escaped. ³⁰Verse 30. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.

³¹Verse 31. After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.