Judges Chapter 3
1 The LORD left those nations to test the Israelites that hadn’t experienced war in Canaan. [ 2 ] 3 The nations were
the five lords of the Philistines,
all the Canaanites,
Sidonians,
the Hivites on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.
4 They served to test whether Israel would obey the LORD’s commandments to their ancestors by Moses. 5 So the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6 They intermarried with them and served their gods.
Othniel Judges Israel
7 Israel forgot the LORD its God and served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. 8 He was angry and sold Israel to Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, for 8 years. 9 When they appealed to the LORD, he raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, to deliver them. 10 The Spirit of the LORD stirred him up to judge Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim to him. 11 The land had peace for 40 years. Then Othniel died. Jud 3:1-11
Ehud Judges Israel
12 The people sinned again, and the LORD strengthened Eglon, king of Moab. 13 He gathered the Amorites and Amalekites, defeated Israel, and took the City of Palms. 14 Israel served him for 18 years.
15 But when Israel appealed to the LORD, he raised up Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon. 16 Ehud made a double-edged sword 18ins long and fastened it under his right thigh under his clothes. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon, an obese man. 18 When he sent away the people that carried it. 19 At the idols near Gilgal, he turned back and said, “I have a private message for you, King.” He said, “Just a minute.” His attendants went out. 20 Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool roof room. He said, “I have a message from God for you.” He got up from his seat. 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, took his sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon’s belly. 22 The hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade. He didn’t pull it out, and the refuse came out. 23 Ehud went out to the anteroom, closed the doors to the roof room, and locked them. Jud 3:12-23
24 When he’d gone, the servants came and saw the doors locked, and thought he was relieving himself in the cool room. 25 They waited till they were completely confused. When he still didn’t come out, they took the key and opened the doors. There he was on the floor, dead.
26 While they delayed, Ehud escaped past the idols to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he blew the ram’s horn in the hill country of Ephraim. The people went down from the hill country with him leading. 28 He told them, “Follow me. The LORD will deliver the Moabites to you.” They went down and seized the fords of the Jordan from the Moabites and wouldn’t let anybody cross. 29 They killed about 10,000 Moabites, strong, able-bodied men. No one escaped. 30 Israel subdued Moab that day. The land had peace for 80 years.
Shamgar Judges Israel
31 After him came Shamgar son of Anath, who killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad and delivered Israel. Jud 3:24-31