At the beginning of this verse the Hebrew waw conjunction is well rendered as So. This verse concludes the Ehud episode, so an appropriate conjunction or expression should be used, for example, “In this way,” “This was how,” or “Thus” (New American Bible).

Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel: In this section the singular word Moab often refers to the Moabite people. However, here it could point to the people or to the territory. Israel is also presented by its collective name, so some translators may prefer to keep these singular forms at the end of this section. Alternatively, we can refer to “the Moabites” and “the Israelites.” Was subdued renders a Hebrew verb meaning “was humbled.” The Moabites became subject or were forced to submit to the Israelites. This verb is expressed as a passive in Revised Standard Version and many other versions, for example, “was … brought [under the power of]” (New American Bible) or “was … badly defeated” (Contemporary English Version). But many languages will prefer an active form, as in Good News Translation: “That day the Israelites defeated Moab.”

The Hebrew expression for that day is very close to the one rendered “at that time” in the previous verse. The Hebrew word for day does not always refer to a specific period of twenty-four hours. That day probably refers to a certain time period within which defeat of the Moabites was complete. Translators might use a time phrase that is natural at this story’s end. In English some options are “Then and there” and even “From that day on.”

Under the hand of Israel means the Moabites are now under Israel’s power or authority. Though the word hand occurs repeatedly throughout the book in the sense of “power” or “control,” this is the only time someone is said to be under the hand of another. This expression emphasizes the total victory and domination of the Israelite army. To express this idea, Contemporary English Version says “Moab was so badly defeated that it was a long time before they were strong enough to attack Israel again.” But this rendering says more than the text and so should not be used as a model here.

And the land had rest for eighty years: Following the victory over the Moabites, the next eighty years were a time of peace. This concluding statement of Ehud’s victory follows the previously established pattern in this book (see comments on verse 3.11). In most judges’ episodes the land enjoys peace throughout the lifetime of the deliverer. In the next verse there is a brief mention of Ehud’s death and the announcement of a new deliverer. The number eighty probably has figurative rather than literal significance, being twice the number “forty” (see verse 3.11).

Examples for translating this verse are:

• This was how Israel defeated Moab. From that time onward, there was peace in the land for eighty years.

• So it was that the Moabites had to submit to Israel, and for the next eighty years there was peace throughout the land.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .