Judges 3 NKJV NIV Parallel

◄ Judges 3 ►

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1Now these are the nations which the LORD left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan

1These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan

2(this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it),

2(he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):

3namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

3the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.

4And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

4They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD's commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

5Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

5The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

6And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons; and they served their gods.

6They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs.

7The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

8Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot 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.

8The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.

9When the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

9But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them.

10The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim.

10The Spirit of the LORD came on him, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.

11So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

11So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

12And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

12Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.

13Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, went and defeated Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms.

13Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.

14So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

14The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

15But when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

15Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer--Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

16Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh.

16Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.

17So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)

17He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.

18And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.

18After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it.

19But he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” He said, “Keep silence!” And all who attended him went out from him.

19But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, "Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you." The king said to his attendants, "Leave us!" And they all left.

20So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat.

20Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his seat,

21Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

21Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly.

22Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out.

22Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it.

23Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

23Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24When he had gone out, Eglon’s servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, “He is probably attending to his needs in the cool chamber.”

24After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace."

25So they waited till they were embarrassed, and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them. And there was their master, fallen dead on the floor.

25They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.

26But Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the stone images and escaped to Seirah.

26While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah.

27And it happened, when he arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and he led them.

27When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.

28Then he said to them, “Follow me, for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over.

28"Follow me," he ordered, "for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands." So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over.

29And at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; not a man escaped.

29At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped.

30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

30That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.

31After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.

31After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

New International Version (NIV)

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