ssengers over the country, that
should sound trumpets of rams' horns; for it was our custom to call the
people together by them. Now the attendants of Eglon were ignorant of
what misfortune had befallen him for a great while; but, towards the
evening, fearing some uncommon accident had happened, they entered into
his parlor, and when they found him dead, they were in great disorder,
and knew not what to do; and before the guards could be got together,
the multitude of the Israelites came upon them, so that some of them
were slain immediately, and some were put to flight, and ran away toward
the country of Moab, in order to save themselves. Their number was above
ten thousand. The Israelites seized upon the ford of Jordan, and pursued
them, and slew them, and many of them they killed at the ford, nor did
one of them escape out of their hands; and by this means it was that the
Hebrews freed themselves from slavery under the Moabites. Ehud also was
on this account dignified with the government over all the multitude,
and died after he had held the government eighty years [15] He was a
man worthy of commendation, even besides what he deserved for the
forementioned act of his. After him Shamgat, the son of Anath,
was elected for their governor, but died in the first year of his
government.

CHAPTER 5. How The Canaanites Brought The Israelites Under Slavery For
Twenty Years; After Which They Were Delivered By Barak And Deborah, Who
Ruled Over Them For Forty Years.

1. And now it was that the Israelites, taking no warning by their former
misfortunes to amend their manners, and neither worshipping God nor
submitting to the laws, were brought under slavery by Jabin, the king
of the Canaanites, and that before they had a short breathing time after
the slavery under the Moabites; for this Jabin out of Hazor, a city that
was situate over the Semechonitis, and had in pay three hundred footmen,
and ten thousand horsemen, with fewer than three thousand chariots.
Sisera was commander of all his army, and was the principal person in
the king's favor. He so sorely beat the Israelites when they fought with
him, that he ordered them to pay tribute.

2. So they continued to that hardship for twenty years, as not good
enough of themselves to grow wise by their misfortunes. God was willing
also hereby the more to subdue their obstinacy and ingratitude towards
himself: so when at length they were become penitent, and were so wise
as