1Àwọn wọ̀nyí ni àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè tí Olúwa fi sílẹ̀ láti dán àwọn ìran tuntun ní Israẹli wò, àwọn ìran tí kò ì tí ì ní ìrírí ogun àwọn ará Kenaani. 2(Ó ṣe èyí láti fi kọ́ àwọn ìran Israẹli tí kò rí ogun rí níbí a ti ṣe ń jagun): 3Àwọn ìjòyè ìlú Filistini márààrún, gbogbo àwọn ará Kenaani, àwọn ará Sidoni, àti àwọn ará Hifi tí ń gbé ní àwọn òkè Lebanoni bẹ̀rẹ̀ láti òkè Baali-Hermoni títí dé Lebo-Hamati. 4A fi àwọn ènìyàn náà sílẹ̀ láti dán àwọn Israẹli wò bóyá wọn yóò gbọ́rọ̀ sí àwọn òfin Olúwa, èyí tí ó ti fi fún àwọn baba wọn láti ipasẹ̀ Mose.
5Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli gbé láàrín àwọn ará Kenaani, àwọn ará Hiti àwọn ará Amori, àwọn ará Peresi, àwọn ará Hifi àti àwọn ará Jebusi. 6Dípò kí wọ́n run àwọn ènìyàn wọ̀nyí, Israẹli ń fẹ́ àwọn ọmọbìnrin wọn, wọ́n sì ń fi àwọn ọmọbìnrin Israẹli fún àwọn ará ilẹ̀ náà ní aya, wọ́n sì ń sin àwọn òrìṣà wọn.
Otnieli
7Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì ṣe èyí tí ó burú níwájú Olúwa, wọ́n gbàgbé Olúwa Ọlọ́run wọn, wọ́n sì ń sin Baali àti Aṣerah. 8Ìbínú Olúwa sì ru sí Israẹli tó bẹ́ẹ̀ tí ó fi jẹ́ kí Kuṣani-Riṣataimu ọba Aramu-Naharaimu (ìlà-oòrùn Siria) bá wọn jà kí ó sì ṣẹ́gun wọn, Israẹli sì ṣe ẹrú rẹ̀ fún ọdún mẹ́jọ. 9Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí Israẹli kígbe sí Olúwa, Òun gbé olùgbàlà kan dìde fún wọn, ẹni náà ni Otnieli ọmọ Kenasi àbúrò Kalebu tí ó jẹ́ ọkùnrin, ẹni tí ó gbà wọ́n sílẹ̀. 10Ẹ̀mí Olúwa bà lé e, òun sì ṣe ìdájọ́ Israẹli, ó sì síwájú wọn lọ sí ogun. Olúwa sì fi Kuṣani-Riṣataimu ọba Aramu lé Otnieli lọ́wọ́, ẹni tí ọwọ́ rẹ̀ sì borí Kuṣani-Riṣataimu. 11Ilẹ̀ náà sì wà ní àlàáfíà fún ogójì ọdún títí tí Otnieli ọmọ Kenasi sì kú.
Ehudu
12Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì tún padà sí ìwà ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ wọn, wọ́n sì ṣe èyí tí ó burú ní iwájú Olúwa, fún ìdí iṣẹ́ búburú yìí, Olúwa fún Egloni, ọba àwọn Moabu ní agbára ní orí Israẹli. 13Pẹ̀lú ìfi ọwọ́ ṣowọ́pọ̀ ogun àwọn Ammoni àti àwọn ọmọ-ogun Amaleki ní Egloni gbógun ti àwọn ọmọ Israẹli, wọ́n sì gba ìlú Ọ̀pẹ (Jeriko). 14Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì sin Egloni ọba Moabu fún ọdún méjì-dínlógún.
15Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí Israẹli tún ké pe Olúwa, Olúwa rán olùgbàlà kan sí wọn, Ehudu ẹni tí ń lo ọwọ́ òsì, ọmọ Gera ti ẹ̀yà Benjamini. Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli fi ẹ̀bùn rán sí Egloni ọba Moabu. 16Ehudu sì rọ idà kan olójú méjì, ìgbọ̀nwọ́ kan ní gígùn; òun sì sán an ní abẹ́ aṣọ rẹ̀ ní itan rẹ̀ ọ̀tún. 17Ó sì mú ọrẹ náà wá fún Egloni ọba Moabu, Egloni ẹni tí ó sanra púpọ̀. 18Lẹ́yìn tí Ehudu ti fi ẹ̀bùn náà fún ọba tan, ó rán àwọn tí ó kó ẹrú náà wá lọ sí ọ̀nà wọn. 19Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí òun fúnrarẹ̀ dé ibi ère fínfín tí ó wà létí Gilgali, ó padà sí Egloni, ó sì wí pé, “Ọba, mo ní ọ̀rọ̀ àṣírí láti bá ọ sọ.”
Ọba sì wí pé “Ẹ dákẹ́!” Gbogbo àwọn tí ń ṣọ sì jáde síta kúrò ní ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀.
20Ehudu lọ sí ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀ níbi tí ó ti jókòó ní iyàrá ìtura rẹ̀, Ehudu sì wí fún un pé: “Mo ní ọ̀rọ̀ kan fún ọ láti ọ̀dọ̀ Ọlọ́run.” Bí ọba sì ti dìde ní orí ìtẹ́ rẹ̀, 21Ehudu fi ọwọ́ òsì rẹ̀ yọ idà láti ibi itan ọ̀tún rẹ̀ ó sì fi gún ọba nínú ikùn rẹ̀. 22Àti idà àti èèkù rẹ̀ sì wọlé ó sì yọ ní ẹ̀yìn rẹ̀. Ehudu kò yọ idà náà, ọ̀rá sì bo idà náà. 23Ehudu ti àwọn ìlẹ̀kùn ní àtì-sínú òun sì bá yàrá òkè jáde, ó sì sálọ.
24Lẹ́yìn tí ó ti lọ àwọn ìránṣẹ́ ọba dé, ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí wọ́n rí ìlẹ̀kùn yàrá òkè ní títì, wọ́n rò pé, “Bóyá ó wà ní ilé ìyàgbẹ́ ní yàrá nínú ilé.” 25Nígbà tí wọ́n dúró dé ibi pé ó jẹ́ ìyanu fún wọn, wọ́n mú kọ́kọ́rọ́, wọ́n sì ṣí ìlẹ̀kùn. Níbẹ̀ ni wọ́n ti rí Olúwa wọn tí ó ti ṣubú, ó sì ti kú.
26Nígbà tí wọ́n dúró tí wọn sì ń retí, Ehudu ti sálọ. Ó ti gba ibi tí wọ́n ti ń gbẹ́ òkúta lére, ó sì sálọ sí Seira. 27Nígbà tí ó dé ibẹ̀, ó fọn ìpè ní orí òkè Efraimu, àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì ba sọ̀kalẹ̀ lọ láti òkè náà wá, òun sì wà níwájú wọn.
28Ó sì wí fún wọn pé, “Ẹ máa tẹ̀lé mi, nítorí Olúwa ti fi Moabu ọ̀tá yín lé yín lọ́wọ́.” Wọ́n sì tẹ̀lé e, wọ́n sì gba ìwọdò Jordani tí ó lọ sí ilẹ̀ Moabu, wọn ò jẹ́ kí ẹnikẹ́ni kọjá. 29Ní báyìí, wọ́n ti pa tó ẹgbẹ̀rún mẹ́wàá ọkùnrin ará Moabu tí wọ́n jẹ́ alágbára àti onígboyà ènìyàn, kò sí ènìyàn tí ó sálà. 30Ní ọjọ́ náà ni Israẹli ṣẹ́gun àwọn ará Moabu, ilẹ̀ náà sì wà ní àlàáfíà fún ọgọ́rin ọdún.
Ṣamgari
31Lẹ́yìn Ehudu, ni Ṣamgari ọmọ Anati ẹni tí ó pa ọgọ́rùn-ún mẹ́fà Filistini pẹ̀lú ọ̀pá tí a fi ń da akọ màlúù, òun pẹ̀lú sì gba Israẹli kúrò nínú ìpọ́njú.
1These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2(he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.
5The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 6They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
Othniel
7The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim,3:8 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge3:10 Or leader and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Ehud
12Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 13Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.3:13 That is, Jericho 14The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
15Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit3:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. 19But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”
The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left.
20Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace3:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verse 24. and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, 21Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23Then Ehud went out to the porch3:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
24After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace.” 25They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.
26While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.
28“Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.
Shamgar
31After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.
