Judges 3:7-16

Othniel

7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim,^[a] to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.

9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them.

10 The Spirit of the LORD came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge^[b] and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.

11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Ehud

12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.

13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.^[c]

14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

16 Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit^[d] long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.

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Judges 3:7-16 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 25

1. Deuteronomy 4:9; S Deuteronomy 32:18; Judges 8:34; Psalms 78:11,42; Psalms 106:7; Jeremiah 23:27
2. S Exodus 34:13; S Judges 2:11,13; 1 Kings 16:33; 2 Chronicles 34:7; Isaiah 17:8
3. Judges 2:14; Psalms 44:12; Isaiah 50:1; Isaiah 52:3
4. ver 10
5. S Genesis 24:10
6. ver 15; Judges 6:6,7; Judges 10:10; 1 Samuel 12:10; Psalms 106:44; Psalms 107:13
7. S Deuteronomy 28:29; Nehemiah 9:27
8. S Joshua 15:17; Judges 1:13
9. S Numbers 11:25,29; Numbers 24:2; Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29; Judges 13:25; Judges 14:6,19; Judges 15:14; 1 Samuel 11:6; 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Kings 18:46; 1 Chronicles 12:18; 2Ch Numbers 24:20; Isaiah 11:2
10. ver 8
11. S Genesis 10:22
12. ver 30; S Joshua 14:15; Judges 5:31; Judges 8:28
13. S Exodus 16:35
14. S Joshua 15:17
15. S Judges 2:11,14
16. 1 Samuel 12:9
17. S Genesis 19:38; Judges 10:11
18. S Genesis 14:7
19. S Judges 1:16
20. Jeremiah 48:1
21. S ver 9; Psalms 78:34; Psalms 107:13
22. ver 16; Judges 4:1
23. Judges 20:16; 1 Chronicles 12:2
24. ver 17,18; 2 Samuel 8:2,6; 1 Kings 4:21; 2 Kings 17:3; Esther 10:1; Psalms 68:29; Psalms 72:10; Psalms 89:22; Ecclesiastes 2:8; Isaiah 60:5; Hosea 10:6
25. S ver 15

Footnotes 4

[a]. That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
[b]. Or "leader"
[c]. That is, Jericho
[d]. That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters