Study Desk

When Ehud reached the statues near Gilgal, he turned and went back to King Eglon and said, "King, I have a secret message for you." The king told him to be quiet and then sent all the servants out of the room.

Ehud went to King Eglon. The king was sitting all alone in the upper room of his palace. Then Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." The king stood up from his throne. He was very close to Ehud.

The servants waited for a long time, but the king never opened the doors to the upper room. Finally, the servants got worried. They got the key and unlocked the doors. When the servants entered, they saw their king lying dead on the floor.

While the servants were waiting for the king, Ehud had time to escape. He passed by the statues and went toward the place named Seirah.

So on that day the Israelites began to rule over the Moabites, and there was peace in the land for 80 years.

Sisera had 900 iron chariots, and he was very cruel to the Israelites for 20 years. So they cried to the Lord for help.

Then Deborah said to Barak, "Today the Lord will help you defeat Sisera. Surely you know that the Lord has already cleared the way for you." So Barak led the 10,000 men down from Mount Tabor.

But first, Sisera asked Jael for a drink of water. Jael had some milk in a bottle made from animal skin. So she gave him a drink of the milk and then covered him up.

Just then Barak came by Jael's tent, looking for Sisera. Jael went out to meet Barak and said, "Come in here, and I will show you the man you are looking for." So Barak entered the tent with Jael. There Barak found Sisera lying dead on the ground, with the tent peg through the side of his head.

On that day God defeated King Jabin of Canaan for the Israelites.

"The men of Israel prepared for battle. They volunteered to go to war. Praise the Lord !

At the watering holes for the animals, we hear the music of cymbals. People sing about the victories of the Lord , the victories of his soldiers in Israel when the Lord 's people fought at the city gates and won!

So why did you sit there against the walls of your sheep pens? The brave soldiers of Reuben thought hard about war. But they stayed home listening to the music they played for their sheep.

The people of Gilead stayed in their camps on the other side of the Jordan River. As for you, people of Dan, why did you stay by your ships? The people of Asher remained by the sea, camped near their safe harbors.

Sisera asked for water. Jael gave him milk. In a bowl fit for a ruler, she brought him cream.

Then Jael reached out and took a tent peg. Her right hand reached for a workman's hammer. She put the peg against the side of Sisera's head and hit it with the hammer.

"May all your enemies die like this, Lord ! But may all those who love you be as strong as the rising sun!" And there was peace in the land for 40 years.

Again the Israelites did what the Lord said was wrong. So for seven years the Lord allowed the Midianites to defeat the Israelites.

They camped in the land and destroyed the crops that the Israelites had planted. They ruined the crops of the Israelites as far as the land near the city of Gaza. They did not leave anything for the Israelites to eat. They did not even leave them any sheep, cattle, or donkeys.

The Israelites became very poor because of the Midianites. So the Israelites cried to the Lord for help.