Juízes 3

Nações que permaneceram para provar a Israel

1 *Jz 1.1Estas são as nações que Jeová deixou, para por elas provar a Israel, isto é, a quantos não tiveram experiência de todas as guerras de Canaã. 2 Isto fez tão somente para que as gerações dos filhos de Israel tivessem experiência de guerra, sendo nela instruídos unicamente os que dantes não tinham essa experiência. 3 Estas são os cinco régulos dos filisteus, e todos os cananeus, e os sidônios, e os *Js 9.3,7;11.19heveus que habitavam no monte Líbano, desde o monte Baal-Hermom até à entrada de Hamate. 4 Estes serviram para *Dt 8.2provar a Israel, a fim de saber se eles obedeceriam aos mandamentos de Jeová, que ele ordenou aos seus pais por intermédio de Moisés. 5 Os filhos de Israel habitaram no meio dos cananeus, dos heteus, dos amorreus, dos ferezeus, dos heveus e dos jebuseus. 6 *Êx 34.15-16;Dt 7.3-4;Js 23.12Tomaram por mulheres as filhas deles, deram suas filhas aos filhos dos mesmos e serviram aos seus deuses.

Otniel livra a Israel da servidão de Cusã

7 Os filhos de Israel fizeram *Jz 2.11o mal à vista de Jeová, e *Dt 4.9esqueceram-se de Jeová, seu Deus, *Jz 2.13servindo os Baalins e as Aserotes. 8 Pelo que se acendeu a ira de Jeová contra Israel, e os entregou nas mãos de Cusã-Risataim, rei de Mesopotâmia; os filhos de Israel serviram a Cusã-Risataim oito anos. 9 Quando os filhos de Israel clamaram a Jeová, suscitou-lhes ele um salvador que os livrou, a saber, *Jz 1.13Otniel filho de Quenaz, irmão mais moço de Calebe. 10 O *Nm 11.25-29;24.2Espírito de Jeová veio sobre ele, e ele julgou a Israel; saiu a pelejar, e Jeová entregou-lhe nas mãos a Cusã-Risataim, rei de Mesopotâmia, contra o qual prevaleceu a sua mão. 11 A terra teve descanso quarenta anos. Otniel, filho de Quenaz, morreu.

Eúde livra-os da servidão de Eglom

12 Então, tornaram os filhos de Israel a *Jz 2.11fazer o mal à vista de Jeová; e *Jz 2.14Jeová fortaleceu a Eglom, rei de Moabe, contra Israel, porque haviam feito o mal à sua vista. 13 Eglom, unindo a si os filhos de Amom e de Amaleque, foi-se e feriu a Israel. Apoderaram-se da *Jz 1.16;Dt 34.3cidade das Palmeiras, 14 e os filhos de Israel serviram a Eglom, rei de Moabe, dezoito anos.

15 Mas, quando os filhos de Israel clamaram a Jeová, suscitou-lhes ele um salvador, Eúde, filho de Gera, benjamita, homem canhoto. Por ele enviaram os filhos de Israel tributo a Eglom, rei de Moabe. 16 Eúde, fazendo para si um punhal de dois gumes, dum côvado de comprido, cingiu-o debaixo do vestido à sua coxa direita. 17 Apresentou o tributo a Eglom, rei de Moabe; ora, Eglom era em extremo gordo. 18 Eúde despediu a gente que trouxera o tributo, depois de o ter apresentado. 19 Porém ele mesmo voltou das pedras esculpidas que estavam junto a Gilgal e disse: Tenho que dizer-te, ó rei, uma palavra em segredo. Disse o rei: Silêncio! Todos os que lhe assistiam saíram da sua presença. 20 Eúde entrou a ele, e o rei estava sentado inteiramente a sós na sua sala de verão. Disse Eúde: Tenho que dizer-te uma palavra da parte de Deus. O rei levantou-se logo da sua cadeira. 21 Então, Eúde, estendendo a mão esquerda, tirou o punhal de sobre a coxa direita e lho cravou no ventre. 22 O cabo também entrou após a folha, e a gordura fechou-se sobre ela, porque não tirou do ventre o punhal. Saíram as fezes. 23 Eúde, saindo ao pórtico, cerrou sobre ele as portas da sala e trancou-as.

24 Depois de ter ele saído, vieram os servos do rei. Olharam, e eis que as portas da sala estavam trancadas. Disseram: Sem dúvida ele *1Sm 24.3está aliviando o ventre na privada do seu quarto. 25 Esperaram até *2Rs 2.17;8.11que viram que estavam enganados, pois que não abriu as portas da sala; portanto, tomaram a chave e as abriram. Eis que o seu senhor estava estendido morto em terra.

26 Eúde escapou enquanto se demoravam e, tendo passado pelas pedras esculpidas, foi para Seirá. 27 Depois de ter chegado, tocou na trombeta o alarme na região montanhosa de Efraim, e os filhos de Israel, com ele à frente, desceram dali. 28 Disse-lhes: Segui-me, porque Jeová vos entregou nas mãos os vossos inimigos, os moabitas. Desceram após ele, apoderaram-se dos *Jz 7.24;12.5vaus do Jordão contra os moabitas, e não deixaram passar nem um só homem. 29 Naquele tempo, feriram dos moabitas uns dez mil homens, cada um deles robusto e valente; e não escapou nem sequer um. 30 Assim, foi subjugado Moabe, naquele dia, debaixo da mão de Israel. A terra teve descanso oitenta anos.

31 Depois dele foi *Jz 5.6Sangar, filho de Anate, que matou a seiscentos homens dos filisteus com uma aguilhada de boi; também ele livrou a Israel.

1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 4 And they were to prove 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.

5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. 7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.*3.8 Mesopotamia: Heb. Aram-naharaim 9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.*3.9 deliverer: Heb. saviour 10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.*3.10 came: Heb. was*3.10 Mesopotamia: Heb. Aram 11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 And the children of Israel 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 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.*3.15 a Benjamite: or, the son of Jemini*3.15 lefthanded: Heb. shut of his right hand 16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.*3.19 quarries: or, graven images 20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.*3.20 a summer…: Heb. a parlour of cooling 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 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 out.*3.22 the dirt…: or, it came out at the buttocks 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 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 covereth his feet in his summer chamber.*3.24 covereth…: or, doeth his easement 25 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. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.*3.29 lusty: Heb. fat 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.