God leaves some nations to test Israel. Othniel defeats the king of Mesopotamia, Ehud, a left-handed man, kills the king of Moab, and Shamgar strikes down six hundred Philistines with an ox goad.
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 Baalhermon 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 Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia : and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years .
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 .
10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel , and went out to war : and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand ; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim .
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 .
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.
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 .