1 Estas são as nações que o Senhor deixou subsistir para provar por meio delas os israelitas, todos aqueles que não tinham visto as guerras de Canaã,2 e isso tão-somente para instrução das novas gerações israelitas, a fim de lhes ensinar a combater, ao menos àqueles que não o tinham feito antes.3 Eram os cinco príncipes dos filisteus, todos os cananeus, os sidônios, os heveus que habitavam os montes do Líbano, desde a montanha de Baal-Hermon até a entrada de Hamat.4 Essas nações ficaram para provar Israel, e ver se eles obedeceriam aos mandamentos que o Senhor havia prescrito aos seus pais por intermédio de Moisés.5 Os filhos de Israel habitaram no meio dos cananeus, dos hiteus, dos amorreus, dos ferezeus, dos heveus e dos jebuseus.6 Tomaram por mulheres suas filhas e eles mesmos deram suas filhas aos filhos deles, e serviram os seus deuses.7 Os israelitas fizeram o mal aos olhos do Senhor, esqueceram-se do Senhor, seu Deus, e serviram aos baal e às asserá.8 A ira do Senhor inflamou-se contra Israel, e ele entregou-os nas mãos de Cusã-Rasataim, rei da Mesopotâmia, a quem ficaram sujeitos durante oito anos.9 Os israelitas clamaram ao Senhor, que lhes suscitou um libertador para salvá-los: Otoniel, filho de Cenez, irmão mais novo de Caleb.10 O Espírito do Senhor desceu sobre ele: ele julgou Israel e saiu para a guerra. O Senhor entregou-lhe Cusã-Rasataim, rei da Mesopotâmia, e sua mão triunfou sobre ele.11 A terra teve quarenta anos de descanso, e Otoniel, filho de Cenez, morreu.12 Os israelitas fizeram de novo o mal aos olhos do Senhor, e o Senhor excitou contra eles Eglon, rei de Moab, porque tinham feito o mal aos seus olhos.13 Eglon aliou-se aos filhos de Amon e de Amalec, e pôs-se em marcha contra Israel; derrotou-o e apoderou-se da cidade das Palmeiras.14 E os israelitas estiveram sujeitos a Eglon, rei de Moab, por dezoito anos.15 Os filhos de Israel clamaram ao Senhor, que lhes suscitou um libertador na pessoa de Aod, o canhoto, filho de Gera, benjaminita. Os filhos de Israel mandaram, por meio dele, um presente a Eglon, rei de Moab.16 Aod mandou fazer para si uma espada de dois gumes, de um côvado de comprimento, e a levava debaixo de suas vestes, apoiada na coxa direita.17 Ele veio e ofereceu o presente a Eglon, rei de Moab, que era muito gordo.18 Terminada a cerimônia, levou os homens que tinham trazido o presente19 até as estelas próximas de Gálgala. Voltou ao rei e disse-lhe: Senhor, tenho uma palavra a dizer-te. Silêncio, ordenou o rei; e todos os seus familiares se retiraram.20 Aod entrou; o rei estava assentado, só, no seu quarto de verão. Tenho a dizer-te uma palavra da parte do Senhor, disse Aod. O rei levantou-se do seu trono.21 E logo tomou Aod com a mão esquerda a espada que trazia na coxa direita e mergulhou-lha no ventre22 com tanta força que o próprio cabo entrou após a lâmina, e ficou coberto pela muita gordura. E não retirou do ventre sua espada, cuja lâmina saía por detrás.23 Aod saiu pela galeria, depois de ter fechado bem atrás de si as portas do quarto de cima, deixando-as trancadas.24 E, tendo ele partido, notaram os servos do rei que as portas estavam fechadas: Sem dúvida, disseram, estará fazendo necessidade, em seu quarto de verão.25 Mas, depois de esperarem muito tempo, ficaram alarmados, e, vendo que a porta do apartamento não se abria, tomaram a chave, abriram-na e encontraram o seu senhor morto e estendido por terra.26 Enquanto isso, Aod fugiu para além das estelas, e foi para Seirat.27 Logo que chegou à montanha de Efraim, tocou a trombeta e os filhos de Israel desceram da montanha com ele.28 Segui-me, disse-lhes ele, porque o Senhor entregou-vos os moabitas, vossos inimigos. Eles o seguiram e ocuparam os vaus do Jordão, por onde se vai a Moab, de modo a não deixar passar ninguém.29 Mataram então cerca de dez mil homens, todo o escol e todo o vigor de Moab; ninguém escapou.30 Naquele dia foi Moab humilhado sob a mão de Israel. E a terra teve um descanso de oitenta anos.31 Depois de Aod, Samgar, filho de Anat, derrotou seiscentos filisteus com um aguilhão de bois. Samgar também foi um libertador para Israel.

1 Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to prove by them the Israelites, namely, all those who had not experienced all the wars of Canaan;2 Only in order that the future generations of the children of Israel might obtain knowledge, to teach them war; but only such as before had learned nothing thereof;3 Namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt on mount Lebanon, from mount Ba’al–chermon unto the entrance of Chamath.4 And they were left to prove by them the Israelites, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.5 And the children of Israel dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Emorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;6 And they took their daughters to themselves for wives, and their daughters they gave to their sons; and they served their gods.7 And the children of Israel did thus the evil in the eyes of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served the Be’alim and the groves.8 Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan–rish’athayim the king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan–rish’athayim eight years.9 And the children of Israel cried then unto the Lord, and the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, namely, ‘Othniel the son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb.10 And the spirit of the Lord came over him, and he judged Israel, and went out to battle: and the Lord delivered Cushan–rish’athayim the king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan–rish’athayim.11 And the land had rest forty years; and then died ‘Othniel the son of Kenaz.12 And the children of Israel did again the evil in the eyes of the Lord; and the Lord strengthened ‘Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done the evil in the eyes of the Lord.13 And he gathered unto him the children of ‘Ammon and ‘Amalek, and they went and smote Israel, and took possession of the city of palm–trees.14 And the children of Israel served ‘Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.15 But the children of Israel cried then unto the Lord; and the Lord raised up unto them a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera a Benjamite, a man who was lamed in his right hand; and the children of Israel sent by him a present unto ‘Eglon the king of Moab.16 But Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his garments upon his right thigh.17 And he brought the present near unto ‘Eglon the king of Moab; now ‘Eglon was a very fat man.18 And it came to pass when he had made an end to offer the present, that he sent away the people who had borne the present.19 But he himself returned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret word unto thee, O King. And he said, Keep silence. And thereupon went out from his presence all that stood by him.20 And Ehud came in unto him; and he was sitting in the summer upper chamber, which was for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a word of God unto thee. And he arose out of his chair.21 And Ehud stretched forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade; for he did not draw the sword out of his body, and it passed into the fundament.23 And Ehud went forth into the ante–room, and shut the doors of the upper chamber after him, and locked them.24 He was just gone out, when his servants came; and they saw, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked; and they said, Surely he covereth his feet in the summer chamber.25 And they tarried till they were ashamed; and behold, he opened not the doors of the upper chamber; wherefore they took the key and opened them: and, behold, their lord was lying dead on the floor.26 And Ehud had escaped while they were tarrying, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Se’irah.27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew the cornet on the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountain, and he before them.28 And he said unto them, Pursue after me; for the Lord hath delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand. And they went down after him, and seized on the fords of the Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.29 And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man.30 And Moab was humbled that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years.31 And after him was Shamgar the son of ‘Anath, who smote of the philistines six hundred men with an ox–goad; and he also delivered Israel.