Judges 3

All 31 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1These are the nations the LORD left in the land to test the Israelites — specifically those who hadn't experienced any of the wars in Canaan.
2. 2Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who before knew nothing of it.
3. 3The nations were: the 5 lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon all the way to the entrance of Hamath.
4. 4These nations served as a test for Israel, to reveal whether the people would obey the commandments the LORD had given their ancestors through Moses.
5. 5So the Israelites settled among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
6. 6They married their daughters, gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their gods.
7. 7The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served Baalim and the groves.
8. 8The LORD's anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. The Israelites served Chushanrishathaim for eight years.
9. 9When the Israelites cried out to the LORD, he raised up a deliverer for them — Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother — and he rescued them.
10. 10The Spirit of the LORD came upon Othniel, and he became Israel's judge. He went to war, and the LORD handed Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia over to him. Othniel's hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
11. 11The land was at peace for 40 years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
12. 12And the Israelites did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab, against Israel because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
13. 13Eglon rallied the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join him, then attacked and defeated Israel. They captured the city of palm trees.
14. 14The Israelites served Eglon, the king of Moab, for 18 years.
15. 15When the Israelites cried out to the LORD, he raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud son of Gera, from the tribe of Benjamin, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him with a present to King Eglon of Moab.
16. 16Ehud had made himself a double-edged dagger about a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh, hidden under his clothes.
17. 17He presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab, who was a very fat man.
18. 18After Ehud finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the men who had carried it.
19. 19But Ehud himself turned back from the quarries near Gilgal and said, "I have a secret errand for you, O king." The king said, "Keep silence," and all who stood by him went out from him.
20. 20Ehud approached him while he sat alone in his cool upper room. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." Eglon rose from his seat.
21. 21Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the dagger from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon's belly.
22. 22The handle sank in after the blade, and the fat closed over it, so Ehud couldn't pull the dagger out of his belly, and the dirt came out.
23. 23Ehud stepped out through the porch, shut the doors of the upper room behind him, and locked them.
24. 24After he left, the king's servants came and saw that the doors were locked. They said, 'Surely he is covering his feet in his summer chamber.'
25. 25They waited until it became embarrassing, but Eglon still didn't open the doors. So they got a key and opened them — and there was their master, fallen dead on the floor.
26. 26While they were waiting, Ehud slipped past the quarries and escaped to Seirath.
27. 27When he arrived, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down from the hills with him, and he took the lead.
28. 28He told them, "Follow me! The LORD has handed your enemies the Moabites over to you." They followed him down and seized the crossing points of the Jordan leading to Moab, not letting a single person cross.
29. 29That day they killed about 10,000 Moabite soldiers — every one of them strong and battle-ready. Not a single one escaped.
30. 30Moab was defeated that day and brought under Israel's control. The land was at peace for 80 years.
31. 31After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. He killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad, and he too delivered Israel.