Judges 3:2-12

2 only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly ).

3 These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and ¹the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.

4 They were for ²testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.

5 ³The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

6 and ⁴they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 The sons of Israel did ⁵what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and ⁶forgot the LORD their God and ⁷served the Baals and the Asheroth.

8 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

The First Judge Delivers Israel

9 When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, ⁸Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 ⁹The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed * over Cushan-rishathaim.

11 Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 Now the sons of Israel again ¹⁰did evil in the sight of the LORD. So ¹¹the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because * they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

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Judges 3:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 3

This chapter gives an account of the nations left in Canaan to prove Israel, and who became a snare unto them, Jud 3:1-7; and of the servitude of Israel under the king of Mesopotamia for their sins, from which they were delivered by Othniel, Jud 3:8-11; and of their subjection to the Moabites, from which they were freed by Ehud, who privately assassinated the king of Moab, and then made his escape, Jud 3:12-30; and of the destruction of a large number of Philistines by Shamgar, with an ox goad, Jud 3:31.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 11

1. Joshua 9:7; Joshua 11:19
2. Deuteronomy 8:2
3. Psalms 106:35
4. Exodus 34:15, 16; Deuteronomy 7:3, 4; Joshua 23:12
5. Judges 2:11
6. Deuteronomy 4:9
7. Judges 2:13
8. Judges 1:13
9. Numbers 11:25-29; Numbers 24:2
10. Judges 2:11
11. Judges 2:14

Footnotes 11

[a]. Lit "know, to teach them"
[b]. Lit "only"
[c]. Lit "known"
[d]. Or "the entrance of Hamath"
[e]. Lit "testing by them"
[f]. Lit "hear"
[g]. Lit "by the hand of"
[h]. I.e. wooden symbol of a female deity
[i]. Heb "Aram-naharaim"
[j]. Heb "Aram"
[k]. Lit "his hand was strong"