Judges 3:9-19

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, ¹Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 ²The 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 ³did evil in the sight of the LORD. So ⁴the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because * they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed ⁵the city of the palm trees.

14 The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen * years.

Ehud Delivers from Moab

15 But when the sons of Israel ⁶cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed * * man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak.

17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.

19 But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." And he said, "Keep silence." And all who attended him left him.

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Judges 3:9-19 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 6

1. Judges 1:13
2. Numbers 11:25-29; Numbers 24:2
3. Judges 2:11
4. Judges 2:14
5. Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16
6. Psalms 78:34

Footnotes 4

[a]. Heb "Aram"
[b]. Lit "his hand was strong"
[c]. Lit "smote"
[d]. Lit "his hand"