Judges 3:8

8 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;

Judges 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 3:8

Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel
Because of their idolatry; see ( Judges 2:14 Judges 2:20 ) ;

and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim, king of
Mesopotamia;
or Aramnaharaim; that is, Syria, between the two rivers, which were Tigris and Euphrates; hence the Greek name of this place is as here called Mesopotamia. Josephus ^F12 calls him king of Assyria, and gives him the name of Chusarthus; and indeed Chushanrishathaim seems to be his whole name, though the Targum makes Rishathaim to be an epithet, and calls him Cushan, the wicked king of Syria; the word is of the dual number, and signifies two wickednesses; which, according to the mystical exposition of the Jews ^F13, refers to two wicked things Syria did to Israel, one by Balaam the Syrian, and the other by this Cushan. Mr. Bedford ^F14 thinks it may be rendered,

``Cushan, king of the two wicked kingdoms;''

the Assyrian monarchy being at this time like two kingdoms, Babylon being the metropolis of the one, and Nineveh of the other; but it is question whether the monarchy was as yet in being. Hillerus ^F15 makes Cushan to be an Arab Scenite, from ( Habakkuk 3:7 ) ; and Rishathaim to denote disquietudes; and it represents him as a man very turbulent, never quiet and easy, and so it seems he was; for not content with his kingdom on the other side Euphrates, he passed over that, and came into Canaan, to subject that to him, and add it to his dominions. Kimchi says that Rishathaim may be the name of a place, and some conjecture it to be the same with the Rhisina of Ptolemy ^F16; but it seems rather a part of this king's name, who came and fought against Israel, and the Lord delivered them into his hands:

and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years;
became tributaries to him during that space of time, but when that began is not easy to say. Bishop Usher ^F17 places it in A. M. 2591, and before Christ 1413.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 3. sect. 2.
F13 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 105. I.
F14 Scripture Chronology, p. 507.
F15 Onomastic. p. 154, 155.
F16 Geograph. l. 5. c. 18.
F17 Annal. Vet. Test. p. 42.

Judges 3:8 In-Context

6 and take their daughters to them for wives, and their daughters have given to their sons, and they serve their gods;

7 and the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and forget Jehovah their God, and serve the Baalim and the shrines.

8 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;

9 and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, and Jehovah raiseth a saviour to the sons of Israel, and he saveth them -- Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother;

10 and the Spirit of Jehovah is upon him, and he judgeth Israel, and goeth out to battle, and Jehovah giveth unto his hand Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram, and strong is his hand against Chushan-Rishathaim;