¶ Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove² Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not³ known all the wars of Canaan;

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know⁴, to teach⁵ them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

Namely, five lords⁶ of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites⁷, and the Sidonians⁸, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount⁹ Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

And they were to prove¹⁰ Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

And the children of Israel dwelt¹¹ among the Canaanites¹², Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

¹³And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

And the children of Israel did evil¹⁴ in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves¹⁵.

¶ Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold¹⁷ them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim¹⁸ king of Mesopotamia¹⁹: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up²¹ a deliverer²² to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

¶ And the Spirit²³ of the LORD came²⁴ upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

And the land²⁵ had rest forty years. And Othniel²⁶ the son of Kenaz died.

¶ And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD²⁸ strengthened Eglon the king²⁹ of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon³⁰ and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city³¹ of palm trees.

So the children of Israel served³² Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite³⁴, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present³⁵ unto Eglon the king of Moab.

But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges³⁶, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon³⁷ his right thigh.

And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat³⁸ man.

And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

But he himself turned again from the quarries³⁹ that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret⁴⁰ errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that⁴¹ stood by him went out from him.

¶ And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour⁴², which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have⁴³ a message from God unto thee. And he arose⁴⁴ out of his seat.

And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it⁴⁵ into his belly:

And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out⁴⁶.

Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.

When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth⁴⁷ his feet in his summer chamber.

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

And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries⁴⁸, and escaped unto Seirath.

And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew⁴⁹ a trumpet in the mountain⁵⁰ of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

And he said unto them, Follow⁵¹ after me: for the LORD⁵² hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords⁵³ of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty⁵⁴, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

¶ So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land⁵⁵ had rest fourscore years.

¶ And after him was Shamgar⁵⁶ the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad⁵⁷: and he also⁵⁸ delivered Israel⁵⁹.