Judges 3:12

12 Forsooth the sons of Israel added to do evil in the sight of the Lord (And the Israelites did more evil before the Lord); and he strengthened against them Eglon, the king of Moab, for they did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Judges 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 3:12

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
Lord
Fell into idolatry again, which was a great evil in the sight of God, and what they were prone to fall into:

and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel;
put it into his heart to invade them, and encouraged him to it, and gave him success; what kings reigned over Moab between Balak and this king we know not: it is a commonly received notion of the Jews, that Ruth was the daughter of Eglon; see ( Ruth 1:4 ) ; and it was about this time that Elimelech with his two sons went into Moab, and when many of those things recorded in the book of Ruth were transacted:

because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord;
which had greatly provoked him to anger, and was the cause of stirring up the king of Moab against them.

Judges 3:12 In-Context

10 And the spirit of the Lord was in him, and he deemed Israel. And he went out to battle, and the Lord betook into his hand Chushanrishathaim, king of Syria (the king of Mesopotamia); and Othniel oppressed him.

11 And the land rested forty years; and (then) Othniel, the son of Kenaz, died.

12 Forsooth the sons of Israel added to do evil in the sight of the Lord (And the Israelites did more evil before the Lord); and he strengthened against them Eglon, the king of Moab, for they did evil in the sight of the Lord.

13 And the Lord coupled to him the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went, and smote Israel (and he went, and struck Israel), and had in possession the city of Palms.

14 And the sons of Israel served Eglon, the king of Moab, eighteen years. (And the Israelites served Eglon, the king of Moab, for eighteen years.)