Judges 3:1-31

Thomson^{(i) 1} Now these are the nations which the Lord spared to prove Israel; with an intent moreover, in regard to all those who would be unacquainted with the wars of Chanaan, ² to instruct in the art of war, not only the present, but the succeeding: generations of the children of Israel, who knew not these things: ³ namely the five Satrapies of the Philistines, and all the Chananites, and the Sidonians, and the Evites who inhabited Libanus from mount Aermon to Laboemath. ⁴ But while he was by them proving Israel, to know whether they would hearken to the commandments of the Lord, which he had given in charge to their fathers by the hand of Moses, ⁵ the children of Israel dwelt among the Chananites, and the Chettites, and the Amorites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Jebusites, ⁶ and they took their daughters to be their wives; and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. ⁷ Thus the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baalims and the bowers. ⁸ And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of Cousarsathaim, king of Syrian Mesopotamia, and the children of Israel served him eight years. ⁹ But when the Israelites cried to the Lord, he raised up a saviour for them, and delivered them, namely Gothoniel the youngest son of Kenez, Chaleb's brother. ¹⁰ The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war against Cousarsathaim, and the Lord delivered Cousarsathaim, king of Syrian Mesopotamia, into his hands; and his hand prevailed against Cousarsathaim, ¹¹ and the land had rest Forty years. ¹² But when Gothoniel son of Kenez died, the children of Israel proceeded to do evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel, because they did evil in the sight of the Lord; ¹³ and he gathered to him all the Ammonites, and the Amalekites, and came and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm trees; ¹⁴ and the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years. ¹⁵ But when the Israelites cried to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, namely Aod son of Gera, the Jeminite, a man who could use both hands alike. When the children of Israel sent presents by him to Eglon king of Moab, ¹⁶ Aod made for himself a two edged dagger, a span long, and girded it under his military robe, on his right thigh, ¹⁷ and went and presented the gifts to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very polite man. ¹⁸ So when Aod had made an end of presenting the gifts, and had sent away the men who carried the presents, ¹⁹ he himself returned from the sculptures which are back of Galgal. And Aod said, I have a private message to thee, king. Whereupon Eglon said to him, Be silent. ²⁰ And when he had sent away from him all his attendants, Aod went in to him. Now he was sitting alone in his summer parlour, up stairs. And Aod said, I have a message of God to thee, O king. Upon which Eglon arose from his seat, near him. ²¹ And as he was rising, Aod stretched forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and plunged it into his belly, ²² and thrust the haft in also after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly. ²³ Then Aod went out by the stairs into the porch. He went out beyond the guards, having shut behind him the doors of the parlour, and bolted them. ²⁴ And when he was gone, Eglon's servants came, but finding the doors of the parlour bolted, they said, Perhaps he is uncovering his feet in the summer parlour. ²⁵ And when they had waited till they were ashamed, and behold the parlour door is not opened, they took the key and opened it, and behold their lord was fallen; dead upon the floor! ²⁶ But Aod escaped while they were in confusion, and none attended to him; and having passed the sculptures he got safe to Seteirotha. ²⁷ And when Aod came to the land of Israel, he sounded a horn on Mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountain, and he before them. ²⁸ And he said to them, Follow me down, for the Lord God hath delivered our enemies; Moab into our hands. So they followed him down, and took possession of the fords of the Jordan before Moab, and suffered not a man to pass. ²⁹ And they slew of Moab that day about ten thousand men, their whole strength, even every man of valour. Not a man escaped. ³⁰ So Moab was humbled that day, under the hand of Israel, and the land had rest eighty years. Now Aod judged them till he died. ³¹ And after him arose Samegar, son of Dinach, who had slain of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad, and who also saved Israel.