Judges 3:7-11

Othniel

7 ¹And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and ²the Asheroth.

8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, ³and he sold them into the hand of ⁴Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

9 But when the people of Israel ⁵cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a ⁶deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, ⁷Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 ⁸The Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

11 ⁹So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Judges 3:7-11 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.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 2:11-13
• 2. Judges 6:25; Exodus 34:13
• 3. Judges 2:14
• 4. Habakkuk 3:7
• 5. ver. 15; Judges 4:3; Judges 6:7; Judges 10:10
• 6. ver. 15; Judges 2:16; Nehemiah 9:27
• 7. Judges 1:13
• 8. Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29; Judges 13:25; Judges 14:6, 19; Judges 15:14
• 9. [ver. 30; Judges 5:31; Judges 8:28; Joshua 11:23]