Judges 3

1 hae sunt gentes quas Dominus dereliquit ut erudiret in eis Israhelem et omnes qui non noverant bella Chananeorum

2 et postea discerent filii eorum certare cum hostibus et habere consuetudinem proeliandi

3 quinque satrapas Philisthinorum omnemque Chananeum et Sidonium atque Eveum qui habitabat in monte Libano de monte Baalhermon usque ad introitum Emath

4 dimisitque eos ut in ipsis experiretur Israhelem utrum audiret mandata Domini quae praeceperat patribus eorum per manum Mosi an non

5 itaque filii Israhel habitaverunt in medio Chananei et Hetthei et Amorrei et Ferezei et Evei et Iebusei

6 et duxerunt uxores filias eorum ipsique filias suas eorum filiis tradiderunt et servierunt diis eorum

7 feceruntque malum in conspectu Domini et obliti sunt Dei sui servientes Baalim et Astharoth

8 iratusque Dominus contra Israhel tradidit eos in manus Chusanrasathaim regis Mesopotamiae servieruntque ei octo annis

9 et clamaverunt ad Dominum qui suscitavit eis salvatorem et liberavit eos Othonihel videlicet filium Cenez fratrem Chaleb minorem

10 fuitque in eo spiritus Domini et iudicavit Israhel egressusque est ad pugnam et tradidit Dominus in manu eius Chusanrasathaim regem Syriae et oppressit eum

11 quievitque terra quadraginta annis et mortuus est Othonihel filius Cenez

12 addiderunt autem filii Israhel facere malum in conspectu Domini qui confortavit adversum eos Eglon regem Moab quia fecerunt malum in conspectu eius

13 et copulavit ei filios Ammon et Amalech abiitque et percussit Israhel atque possedit urbem Palmarum

14 servieruntque filii Israhel Eglon regi Moab decem et octo annis

15 et postea clamaverunt ad Dominum qui suscitavit eis salvatorem vocabulo Ahoth filium Gera filii Iemini qui utraque manu utebatur pro dextera miseruntque filii Israhel per illum munera Eglon regi Moab

16 qui fecit sibi gladium ancipitem habentem in medio capulum longitudinis palmae manus et accinctus est eo subter sagum in dextro femore

17 obtulitque munera Eglon regi Moab erat autem Eglon crassus nimis

18 cumque obtulisset ei munera prosecutus est socios qui cum eo venerant

19 et reversus de Galgalis ubi erant idola dixit ad regem verbum secretum habeo ad te o rex et ille imperavit silentium egressisque omnibus qui circa eum erant

20 ingressus est Ahoth ad eum sedebat autem in aestivo cenaculo solus dixitque verbum Dei habeo ad te qui statim surrexit de throno

21 extenditque Ahoth manum sinistram et tulit sicam de dextro femore suo infixitque eam in ventre eius

22 tam valide ut capulus ferrum sequeretur in vulnere ac pinguissimo adipe stringeretur nec eduxit gladium sed ita ut percusserat reliquit in corpore statimque per secreta naturae alvi stercora proruperunt

23 Ahoth autem clausis diligentissime ostiis cenaculi et obfirmatis sera

24 per posticam egressus est servique regis ingressi viderunt clausas fores cenaculi atque dixerunt forsitan purgat alvum in aestivo cubiculo

25 expectantesque diu donec erubescerent et videntes quod nullus aperiret tulerunt clavem et aperientes invenerunt dominum suum iacentem in terra mortuum

26 Ahoth autem dum illi turbarentur effugit et pertransiit locum Idolorum unde reversus fuerat venitque in Seirath

27 et statim insonuit bucina in monte Ephraim descenderuntque cum eo filii Israhel ipso in fronte gradiente

28 qui dixit ad eos sequimini me tradidit enim Dominus inimicos nostros Moabitas in manus nostras descenderuntque post eum et occupaverunt vada Iordanis quae transmittunt in Moab et non dimiserunt transire quemquam

29 sed percusserunt Moabitas in tempore illo circiter decem milia omnes robustos et fortes viros nullus eorum evadere potuit

30 humiliatusque est Moab die illo sub manu Israhel et quievit terra octoginta annis

31 post hunc fuit Samgar filius Anath qui percussit de Philisthim sescentos viros vomere et ipse quoque defendit Israhel

Judges 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The nations left to prove Israel. (1-7) Othniel delivers Israel. (8-11) Ehud delivers Israel from Eglon. (12-30) Shamgar delivers and judges Israel. (31)

Verses 1-7 As the Israelites were a type of the church on earth, they were not to be idle and slothful. The Lord was pleased to try them by the remains of the devoted nations they spared. Temptations and trials detect the wickedness of the hearts of sinners; and strengthen he graces of believers in their daily conflict with Satan, sin, and this evil world. They must live in this world, but they are not of it, and are forbidden to conform to it. This marks the difference between the followers of Christ and mere professors. The friendship of the world is more fatal than its enmity; the latter can only kill the body, but the former murders many precious souls.

Verses 8-11 The first judge was Othniel: even in Joshua's time Othniel began to be famous. Soon after Israel's settlement in Canaan their purity began to be corrupted, and their peace disturbed. But affliction makes those cry to God who before would scarcely speak to him. God returned in mercy to them for their deliverance. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel. The Spirit of wisdom and courage to qualify him for the service, and the Spirit of power to excite him to it. He first judged Israel, reproved and reformed them, and then went to war. Let sin at home be conquered, that worst of enemies, then enemies abroad will be more easily dealt with. Thus let Christ be our Judge and Lawgiver, then he will save us.

Verses 12-30 When Israel sins again, God raises up a new oppressor. The Israelites did ill, and the Moabites did worse; yet because God punishes the sins of his own people in this world, Israel is weakened, and Moab strengthened against them. If lesser troubles do not do the work, God will send greater. When Israel prays again, God raises up Ehud. As a judge, or minister of Divine justice, Ehud put to death Eglon, the king of Moab, and thus executed the judgments of God upon him as an enemy to God and Israel. But the law of being subject to principalities and powers in all things lawful, is the rule of our conduct. No such commissions are now given; to pretend to them is to blaspheme God. Notice Ehud's address to Eglon. What message from God but a message of vengeance can a proud rebel expect? Such a message is contained in the word of God; his ministers are boldly to declare it, without fearing the frown, or respecting the persons of sinners. But, blessed be God, they have to deliver a message of mercy and of free salvation; the message of vengeance belongs only to those who neglect the offers of grace. The consequence of this victory was, that the land had rest eighty years. It was a great while for the land to rest; yet what is that to the saints' everlasting rest in the heavenly Canaan.

Verse 31 The side of the country which lay south-west, was infested by the Philistines. God raised up Shamgar to deliver them; having neither sword nor spear, he took an ox-goad, the instrument next at hand. God can make those serviceable to his glory and to his church's good, whose birth, education, and employment, are mean and obscure. It is no matter what the weapon is, if God directs and strengthens the arm. Often he works by unlikely means, that the excellency of the power may appear to be of God.

Chapter Summary

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.