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.

1 这些国的人是耶和华留下的, 为要借着他们来试验以色列人, 就是所有没有经验过迦南任何战争的人;

2 好使以色列人的后代, 那些以前没有经验过这些战争的人, 知道学习争战。

3 他留下的就是非利士人的五个首领, 和所有迦南人、西顿人, 以及住在黎巴嫩山上的希未人, 从巴力.黑门山直到哈马口。

4 他们留在那里, 为要借着他们试验以色列人, 要知道他们是否听从耶和华借摩西吩咐他们列祖的诫命。

5 以色列人就住在迦南人、赫人、亚摩利人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人中间;

6 他们娶他们的女儿作妻子, 也把自己的女儿嫁给他们的儿子, 并且事奉他们的神。

7 以色列人行了耶和华看为恶的事, 忘记了耶和华他们的 神, 去事奉众巴力和亚舍拉。

8 因此, 耶和华的怒气向以色列人发作, 把他们完全交在两河之间的亚兰王古珊.利萨田的手中; 以色列人服事了古珊.利萨田八年。

9 以色列人向耶和华哀求的时候, 耶和华就为以色列人兴起一位拯救者拯救他们, 就是迦勒的弟弟基纳斯的儿子俄陀聂。

10 耶和华的灵临到他身上, 他就治理以色列人; 他出去作战, 耶和华把亚兰王古珊.利萨田交在他手中, 他的能力就胜过了古珊.利萨田。

11 于是国中太平了四十年。后来基纳斯的儿子俄陀聂死了。

12 以色列人又行了耶和华看为恶的事, 耶和华就使摩押王伊矶伦强盛起来, 欺压以色列人, 因为他们行了耶和华看为恶的事。

13 伊矶伦集合了亚扪人和亚玛力人, 前来击败了以色列人, 占领了棕树城。

14 于是以色列人服事了摩押王伊矶伦十八年。

15 以色列人向耶和华哀求的时候, 耶和华就为他们兴起一位拯救者, 就是便雅悯人基拉的儿子以笏, 是一个用左手的人。以色列人派他把贡物送给摩押王伊矶伦。

16 以笏做了一把两刃的剑, 长半公尺, 缚在右腿上, 在衣服底下。

17 他把贡物呈献给摩押王伊矶伦; 伊矶伦原是个非常肥胖的人。

18 以笏献完了贡物, 就把抬贡物的众人打发走了。

19 自己却从靠近吉甲的众雕像那里回来, 说: "王啊, 我有一件机密的事要对你说。"王说: "暂不要说。"侍立左右的人都离开他出去了。

20 以笏来到王那里; 王独自一人坐在凉楼上。以笏说: "我有 神的话要告诉你。"王就从座位上站起来。

21 以笏就伸出左手, 从右腿上拔出剑来, 刺入王的腹中;

22 连剑柄与剑身都刺进去了, 肥肉把剑身夹住, 因此他没有把剑从王的肚腹里拔出来; 接着他就从窗户爬了出去。

23 以笏出到走廊, 把凉楼上的门关起来, 上了锁。

24 以笏出来以后, 王的仆人才来到; 他们看见凉楼上的门锁着, 就说: "王一定是在凉楼上大解。"

25 他们等到发慌了, 见他还不打开凉楼的门, 就拿钥匙来开; 不料, 看见他们的主人早已倒在地上死了。

26 他们耽延的时候, 以笏已经逃跑了; 他经过众雕像那里, 逃到西伊拉去。

27 他去到以后, 就在以法莲山地吹角; 以色列人与他一同从山地上下来, 他走在他们前头,

28 对他们说: "你们跟随我, 因为耶和华已经把你们的仇敌摩押人交在你们手中。"他们就跟随他下去, 攻取约旦河的渡口, 拦截摩押人, 不让一个过去。

29 那时他们击杀了约有一万摩押人, 都是强壮的、勇猛的人, 没有一人逃脱。

30 这样, 从那天起, 摩押就在以色列人的手下被制伏了, 于是国中太平了八十年。

31 以笏之后, 有亚拿的儿子珊迦; 他用赶牛棒击杀了六百非利士人; 他也拯救了以色列人。