1 Estas 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 heveus que habitavam no monte Líbano, desde o monte Baal-Hermom até a entrada de Hamate.

4 Estes serviram para provar 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 Tomaram por mulheres as filhas deles, deram suas filhas aos filhos dos mesmos, e serviram aos seus deuses.

7 Os filhos de Israel fizeram o mal à vista de Jeová, e esqueceram-se de Jeová seu Deus, servindo 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, Otniel filho de Quenaz, irmão mais moço de Calebe.

10 O espírito 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.

12 Então tornaram os filhos de Israel a fazer o mal à vista de Jeová; e Jeová 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 cidade 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 está aliviando o ventre na privada do seu quarto.

25 Esperaram até que 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 vaus 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 Sangar, 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 Yahweh left, to test Israel by them, even as many 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 least those who knew nothing of it before: 3 the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. 4 They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to Yahweh’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses. 5 The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods. 7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8 Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned 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. 9 When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 Yahweh’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim. 11 The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. 13 He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees. 14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh. 17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king."

The king said, "Keep silence!" All who stood by him left him.

20 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, "I have a message from God to you." He arose out of his seat. 21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body. 22 The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. 23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

24 After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, "Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room." 25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.

26 Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.

28 He said to them, "Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over. 29 They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.

31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.