1 Dette er de folkeslagene som Herren lot bli igjen for å prøve Israel, alle de som ikke hadde kjent til kampene i Kanaan.

Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many `of Israel' as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2 Det var for at de kommende generasjonene av Israels barn skulle lære krigføring, særlig de som tidligere ikke kjente til det.

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:

3 Nemlig de fem fyrstene av filisterne, alle kanaaneerne, sidonierne og hivittene som bodde på Libanonfjellet, fra Baal-Hermonfjellet til inngangen til Hamat.

`namely', the 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 entrance of Hamath.

4 De ble latt igjen for å prøve Israel og for å se om de ville lytte til Herrens bud, som Han hadde gitt deres fedre ved Moses.

And they were `left', to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

5 Israels barn bodde blant kanaaneerne, hetittene, amorittene, perisittene, hivittene og jebusittene.

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

6 De tok deres døtre til koner og ga sine egne døtre til deres sønner, og tjente deres guder.

and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

7 Israels barn gjorde det som var ondt i Herrens øyne. De glemte Herren sin Gud og tjente Baalene og Astartebildene.

And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

8 Da ble Herrens vrede tent mot Israel, og Han lot dem falle i hendene på Kusjan-Risjatayim, kongen av Mesopotamia, og Israels barn tjente ham i åtte år.

Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled 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 Da ropte Israels barn til Herren, og Herren reiste dem en frelser i Otniel, sønn av Kenaz, Kalebs yngre bror, som reddet dem.

And when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 Herrens Ånd kom over ham, og han dømte Israel. Han dro ut til krig, og Herren overgav Kusjan-Risjatayim, Mesopotamias konge, i hans hånd, og hans hånd seiret over Kusjan-Risjatayim.

And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.

11 Da hadde landet hvile i førti år. Så døde Otniel, sønn av Kenaz.

And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 Men Israels barn gjorde igjen det som var ondt i Herrens øyne. Da styrket Herren Eglon, Moabs konge, mot Israel, fordi de hadde gjort det som var ondt i Herrens øyne.

And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

13 Han samlet Ammonittene og Amalekittene med seg, dro og slo Israel og tok kontroll over Palmetrebyen.

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.

14 Israels barn tjente Eglon, Moabs konge, i atten år.

And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 Da ropte Israels barn til Herren, og Herren oppreiste dem en frelser i Ehud, sønn av Gera, benjaminitten, en venstrehendt mann. Israels barn sendte med ham en gave til Eglon, Moabs konge.

But when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.

16 Ehud laget seg et sverd med to skjær, en alen langt, og festet det under klærne på høyre lår.

And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

17 Så bar han fram gaven til Eglon, Moabs konge, som var en meget fet mann.

And he offered the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 Da han hadde gitt gaven, sendte han bort de folkene som hadde båret gaven.

And when he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people that bare the tribute.

19 Men selv vendte han tilbake fra steinbruddene ved Gilgal og sa: Jeg har et hemmelig budskap til deg, konge. Da sa han: Stillhet! Og alle som sto hos ham, gikk bort.

But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

20 Ehud kom da nær til ham mens han satt i den svale kammersalen alene. Ehud sa: Jeg har et budskap fra Gud til deg. Da reiste disse seg fra setet.

And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

21 Ehud rakte ut sin venstre hånd, tok sverdet fra sitt høyre lår og stakk det i hans kropp.

And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

22 Til og med skaftet gikk inn etter bladet, og fettet slukte bladet. For han dro ikke sverdet ut av kroppen, og det gikk ut bak.

and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

23 Ehud gikk deretter ut til forhallen, lukket dørene til kammersalen og låste dem.

Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them.

24 Da han var gått, kom hans tjenere tilbake. De så, og se, dørene til kammersalen var låst, og de sa: Han dekker sine føtter i den svale kammersalen.

Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.

25 De ventet til de skammet seg, men se, han åpnet ikke dørene til kammersalen. Da tok de nøkkelen, og åpnet dem, og se, deres herre lå død på jorden.

And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened `them', and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

26 Ehud flyktet mens de nølte, og passerte forbi steinbruddene og kom seg til Seira.

And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.

27 Da han kom dit, blåste han i hornet i fjellandet Efraim. Så gikk Israels barn ned med ham fra fjellandet, og han gikk foran dem.

And it came to pass, when he was come, that 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 before them.

28 Og han sa til dem: Følg etter meg, for Herren har overgitt deres fiender, Moabittene, i deres hånd. Så gikk de etter ham, beslagla vadestedene over Jordan mot Moab, og lot ingen mann passere.

And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Jehovah hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.

29 På den tiden slo de om lag ti tusen menn fra Moab, alle sterke og modige menn, og ingen unnslapp.

And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.

30 Dermed ble Moab under Israels hånd den dagen. Og landet hadde hvile i åtti år.

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

31 Etter ham kom Sjamgar, sønn av Anat, som slo seks hundre filistere med en oksedrivstav. Han frelste også Israel.

And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad: and he also saved Israel.