Targum Jonathan on the Prophets Judges · chapter 3

Tap any Aramaic word to trace it to its Jastrow dictionary entry.

1. 1

   וְאִלֵין עַמְמַיָא דִי שְׁבַק יְיָ לְנַסָאָה בְהוֹן יַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יַת כָּל דְלָא הֲווֹ יָדְעִין יַת כָּל קְרָבֵי כְנָעַן:

   These are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,

2. 2

   לְחוֹד בְּדִיל דְיֵדְעוּן דָרַיָא דִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲלָפוּתְהוֹן קְרָבָא לְחוֹד דְמִלְקַדְמִין לָא הֲווֹ יָדְעִין:

   if only to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel, especially to those who had not known it formerly:

3. 3

   חַמְשָׁא טוּרְנֵי פְּלִשְׁתָּאֵי וְכָל כְּנַעֲנָאֵי וְצִידוֹנָאֵי וְחִוָאֵי יַתְבֵי טוּרָא דִלְבָנוֹן מִטוּר מֵישַׁר חֶרְמוֹן עַד מַעֲלָנָא דַחֲמָת:

   the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

4. 4

   וַהֲווֹ לְנַסָאָה בְּהוֹן יַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִידַע הַיְקַבְּלוּן יַת פִּקוּדַיָא דַייָ דְפַקֵד יַת אֲבָהַתְהוֹן בִּידָא דְמֹשֶׁה:

   These nations were left to test the Israelites, to find out whether they would keep the commandments of the LORD, which He had given their fathers through Moses.

5. 5

   וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יְתִיבוּ בְּגוֹ כְנַעֲנָאֵי חִתָּאֵי וֶאֱמוֹרָאֵי וּפְרִיזָאֵי וְחִוָאֵי וִיבוּסָאֵי:

   Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

6. 6

   וּנְסִיבוּ יַת בְּנָתֵיהוֹן לְהוֹן לִנְשִׁין וְיַת בְּנַתְהוֹן יְהִיבוּ לִבְנֵיהוֹן וּפְלַחוּ יַת טַעֲוַתְהוֹן:

   And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7. 7

   וַעֲבַדוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַת דְבִישׁ קֳדָם יְיָ וְאִתְנְשִׁיאוּ יַת פּוּלְחָנָא דַייָ אֱלָהָהוֹן וּפְלַחוּ יַת בְּעָלַיָא וְלַאֲשָׁרָתָא:

   So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

8. 8

   וּתְקֵיף רוּגְזָא דַייָ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַסְרִינוּן בְּיַד כּוּשַׁן חַיָבָא מַלְכָּא דַאֲרָם דִי עַל פְּרָת וּפְלַחוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַת כּוּשַׁן חַיָבָא תְּמָנֵי שְׁנִין:

   Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

9. 9

   וּזְעִיקוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל קֳדָם יְיָ וְאֲקֵים יְיָ פָרִיק לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפַרְקִינוּן יַת עָתְנִיאֵל בַּר קְנַז אֲחוּהִי דְכָלֵב דִזְעֵיר מִנֵיהּ:

   But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, He raised up Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz as a deliverer to save them.

10. 10

    וּשְׁרַת עֲלוֹהִי רוּחַ נְבוּאָה מִן קֳדָם יְיָ וְדָן יַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְפַק לְאַגָחָא קְרָבָא וּמְסַר יְיָ בִּידוֹהִי יַת כּוּשַׁן חַיָבָא מַלְכָּא דַאֲרָם דִי עַל פְרָת וּתְקֵפַת יְדֵיהּ עַל כּוּשַׁן חַיָבָא:

    The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge and went out to war. And the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into the hand of Othniel, who prevailed against him.

11. 11

    וּשְׁדוֹכַת אַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין וּמִית עָתְנִיאֵל בַּר קְנַז:

    So the land had rest for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

12. 12

    וְאוֹסִיפוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֶעְבַּד דְבִישׁ קֳדָם יְיָ וּתְקֵיף יְיָ יַת עֶגְלוֹן מַלְכָּא דְמוֹאָב עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל דַעֲבָדוּ יַת דְבִישׁ קֳדָם יְיָ:

    Once again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. So He gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

13. 13

    וּכְנַשׁ לְוָתֵיה יַת בְּנֵי עַמוֹן וַעֲמָלֵק וַאֲזַל וּמְחָא יַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וִירִיתוּ יַת קַרְתָּא יְרִיחוֹ:

    After enlisting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join forces with him, Eglon attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the City of Palms.

14. 14

    וּפְלַחוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַת עֶגְלוֹן מַלְכָּא דְמוֹאָב תַּמְנֵי עַסְרֵי שְׁנִין:

    The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15. 15

    וּזְעִיקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל קֳדָם יְיָ וַאֲקֵים יְיָ לְהוֹן פָּרִיק יַת אֵהוּד בַּר גֵרָא בַּר שִׁבְטָא דְבִנְיָמִין גַבְרָא גְמִיד בִּידֵיהּ דְיַמִינָא וְשַׁדָרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּידֵיהּ תִּקְרוּבְתָּא לְעֶגְלוֹן מַלְכָּא דְמוֹאָב:

    And again they cried out to the LORD, and He raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite, as their deliverer. So they sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

16. 16

    וַעֲבַד לֵיהּ אֵהוּד חַרְבָּא וְלָהּ תְּרֵין פּוּמִין גַרְמִידָא אָרְכָּא וְזָרֵיז יָתָהּ מִלְרַע לִלְבוּשׁוֹהִי עַל יַרְכֵיהּ דְיַמִינֵיהּ:

    Now Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak

17. 17

    וְקָרֵיב יַת תִּקְרוּבְתָּא לְעֶגְלוֹן מַלְכָּא דְמוֹאָב וְעֶגְלוֹן גְבַר פַטִים לַחֲדָא:

    and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man.

18. 18

    וַהֲוָה כַּד שֵׁיצֵי לְקָרָבָא יַת תִּקְרוּבְתָּא וּשְׁלַח יַת עַמָא נַטְלֵי תִּקְרוּבְתָּא:

    After Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he ushered out those who had carried it.

19. 19

    וְהוּא תַב מִן מַחֲצָבַיָא דְעִם גִלְגָלָא וַאֲמַר פִּתְגָמָא דְסִתְרָא אִית לִי לְמַלָלָא עִמָךְ מַלְכָּא וַאֲמַר סְלִיק וּנְפַקוּ מֵעִלַווֹהִי כָּל דְקַיְמִין עֲלוֹהִי:

    But upon reaching the idols near Gilgal, he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” “Silence,” said the king, and all his attendants left him.

20. 20

    וְאֵהוּד עָאל לְוָתֵיהּ וְהוּא יָתֵיב בַּעֲלִיַת בֵּית קַיְטָא דִילֵיהּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹהִי וַאֲמַר אֵהוּד פִּתְגָמָא דַייָ לִי לְמַלָלָא עִמָךְ וְקָם מֵעַל כּוּרְסֵיהּ:

    Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.

21. 21

    וְאוֹשִׁיט אֵהוּד יַת יַד שְׂמָאלֵיהּ וּנְסִיב יַת חַרְבָּא מֵעַל יַרְכָא דְיַמִינֵיהּ וּקְבָעָה בִּמְעוֹהִי:

    And Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.

22. 22

    וְעַל אַף דִסְתְּקָא בָּתַר שְׁנָנָא וְטִמְטֵם שׁוּמְנָא בְּאַפֵּי שְׁנָנָא אֲרֵי לָא שְׁלַף חַרְבָּא מִמְעוֹהִי וּנְפַק אוּכְלֵיהּ שְׁפִיךְ:

    Even the handle sank in after the blade, and Eglon’s fat closed in over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly. And Eglon’s bowels emptied.

23. 23

    וּנְפַק אֵהוּד לְאַכְסַדְרָא וַאֲחַר דָשֵׁי עִילִיתָא בְאַפּוֹהִי וְאַגָף:

    Then Ehud went out through the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upper room behind him.

24. 24

    וְהוּא נְפַק וְעַבְדוֹהִי עֲלוֹ וַחֲזוֹ וְהָא דָשֵׁי עִילִיתָא אֲחִידָן וַאֲמַרוּ בְּרַם עָבִיד הוּא יַת צוֹרְכֵיהּ בְּאִדְרוֹן בֵּית קַיְטָא:

    After Ehud was gone, Eglon’s servants came in and found the doors of the upper room locked. “He must be relieving himself in the cool room,” they said.

25. 25

    וְאוֹרִיכוּ עַד סַגִי וְהָא לֵיתוֹהִי פָּתַח דָשֵׁי עִלִיתָא וּנְסִיבוּ יַת מַפְתְּחָא וּפְתַחוּ וְהָא רִבּוֹנְהוֹן טָרִיף רְמֵי עַל אַרְעָא מִית:

    So they waited until they became worried and saw that he had still not opened the doors of the upper room. Then they took the key and opened the doors— and there was their lord lying dead on the floor.

26. 26

    וְאֵהוּד אִשְׁתְּזִיב עַד אִתְעַכְּבֵיהוֹן וְהוּא עֲבַר יַת מַחְצְבַיָא וְאִשְׁתְּזֵיב לִשְׂעִירָתָא:

    Ehud, however, had escaped while the servants waited. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.

27. 27

    וַהֲוָה בְּמֵיתוֹהִי וּתְקַע בְּשׁוֹפָרָא בְּטוּרָא דְבֵית אֶפְרָיִם וּנְחָתוּ עִמֵיהּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן טוּרָא וְהוּא קֳדָמֵיהוֹן:

    On arriving in Seirah, he blew the ram’s horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hills, and he became their leader.

28. 28

    וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן רְדִיפוּ בַתְרַי אֲרֵי מְסַר יְיָ יַת בַּעֲלֵי דְבָבֵיכוֹן יַת מוֹאֲבָאֵי בִּידֵיכוֹן וּנְחָתוּ בַתְרוֹהִי וַאֲחַדוּ יַת מְגִיזַת עָבְרָאֵי יַרְדְנָא עַל מוֹאָב וְלָא שְׁבַקוּ אֱנַשׁ לְמֶעְבַר:

    “Follow me,” he told them, “for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and they did not allow anyone to cross over.

29. 29

    וּקְטַלוּ יַת מוֹאָב בְּעִדָנָא הַהִיא כְּעַסְרָא אַלְפִין גַבְרָא כָּל אֵימְתָן וְכָל גְבַר גִבַּר חֵילָא וְלָא אִישְׁתְּזֵיב אֱנָשׁ:

    At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men. Not one of them escaped.

30. 30

    וְאִתַּבָּרוּ מוֹאֲבָאֵי בְּיוֹמָא הַהוּא תְּחוֹת יַד אֱנַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּשְׁדוֹכַת אַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל תְּמָנָן שְׁנִין:

    So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.

31. 31

    וּבַתְרוֹהִי הֲוָה שַׁמְגַר בַּר עֲנָת וּקְטַל יַת פְּלִשְׁתָּאֵי שִׁית מְאָה גַבְרִין בִּפְרַשׁ תּוֹרַיָא וּפְרַק אַף הוּא יַת יִשְׂרָאֵל:

    After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. And he too saved Israel, striking down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad.