HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 589
page 219
Israel Disobeys the LORD
10 After that generation died, another generation
grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or
remember the mighty things he had done for
Israel.
11 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight
and served the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who
had brought them out of Egypt. They went after
other gods, worshiping the gods of the people
around them. And they angered the Lord.
13 They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and
the images of Ashtoreth. 14 This made the Lord
burn with anger against Israel, so he handed
them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all
around, and they were no longer able to resist
them. 15 Every time Israel went out to battle, the
Lord fought against them, causing them to be
defeated, just as he had warned. And the people
were in great distress.
The LORD Rescues His People
16 Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the
Israelites from their attackers. 17 Yet Israel did
not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly
they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s
commands.
18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over
Israel, he was with that judge and rescued
the people from their enemies throughout the
judge’s lifetime. For the Lord took pity on his
people, who were burdened by oppression and
suffering. 19 But when the judge died, the people
returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse
than those who had lived before them. They
went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil
practices and stubborn ways.
20 So the Lord burned with anger against
Israel. He said, “Because these people have
violated my covenant, which I made with their
ancestors, and have ignored my commands,
21 I will no longer drive out the nations that
Joshua left unconquered when he died. 22 I did
this to test Israel—to see whether or not they
would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.” 23 That is why the Lord left those
nations in place. He did not quickly drive them
out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.
The Nations Left in Canaan
These are the nations that the Lord left
in the land to test those Israelites who
had not experienced the wars of Canaan. 2 He
did this to teach warfare to generations of
3
3:8 Aram-naharaim means “Aram of the two rivers,” thought
to have been located between the Euphrates and Balih Rivers
in northwestern Mesopotamia. 3:16 Hebrew gomed, the
length of which is uncertain.
JUDG ES 3
Israelites who had no experience in battle.
3 These are the nations: the Philistines (those
living under the five Philistine rulers), all the
Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount
Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath. 4 These people
were left to test the Israelites—to see whether
they would obey the commands the Lord had
given to their ancestors through Moses.
5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites,
and Jebusites, 6 and they intermarried with them.
Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their
sons. And the Israelites served their gods.
Othniel Becomes Israel’s Judge
7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They
forgot about the Lord their God, and they served
the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. 8 Then
the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he
turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim
of Aram-naharaim.* And the Israelites served
Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.
9 But when the people of Israel cried out to
the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer
to save them. His name was Othniel, the son
of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz. 10 The Spirit
of the Lord came upon him, and he became
Israel’s judge. He went to war against King
Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the Lord gave
Othniel victory over him. 11 So there was peace
in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of
Kenaz died.
Ehud Becomes Israel’s Judge
12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s
sight, and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab
control over Israel because of their evil. 13 Eglon
enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel,
taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms.
14 And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for
eighteen years.
15 But when the people of Israel cried out to
the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a
rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of
Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin.
The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute
money to King Eglon of Moab. 16 So Ehud made
a double-edged dagger that was about a foot*
long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. 17 He brought
the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.
18 After delivering the payment, Ehud started
home with those who had helped carry the tribute. 19 But when Ehud reached the stone idols
near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon
and said, “I have a secret message for you.”
So the king commanded his servants, “Be
quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.