1. These are the nations the Lord left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan.
2. The Lord left them to teach Israel’s descendants about war, at least those who had known nothing about it in the past.
3. He left the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to the border of Hamath.
4. These nations were left to test the Israelites, to find out if they would obey the commands the Lord had given their ancestors through Moses.
5. So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
6. The Israelites allowed their sons and daughters to marry these people. Israel also served their gods.
7. The people of Israel did what the Lord considered evil. They forgot the Lord their God and served other gods and goddesses—the Baals and the Asherahs.
8. The Lord became angry with the people of Israel. He used King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim to defeat them. So Israel served Cushan Rishathaim for eight years.
9. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. The Lord sent a savior to rescue them. It was Othniel, son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz.
10. When the Lord’s Spirit came over him, he became the judge of Israel. He went out to war. The Lord handed King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim over to him, and Othniel overpowered him.
11. So there was finally peace in the land for 40 years. Then Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.
12. Once again, the people of Israel did what the Lord considered evil. So the Lord made King Eglon of Moab stronger than Israel, because Israel did what the Lord considered evil.
13. Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to help him, and they defeated the Israelites and occupied the City of Palms.
14. The Israelites served King Eglon of Moab for 18 years.
15. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. The Lord sent a savior to rescue them. It was Ehud, a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin. (Ehud was the son of Gera.)The people sent him with their tax payment to King Eglon of Moab.
16. Ehud made a two-edged dagger for himself. He fastened it to his right side under his clothes.