Judges 3:7-11

Othniel, the First Judge

7 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight; they forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 The Lord's anger burned against Israel, and He sold them to^[a] Cushan-rishathaim^[b] king of Aram of the Two Rivers,^[c][d]and the Israelites served him eight years.

9 The Israelites cried out to the Lord. So the Lord raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's youngest brother^[e] as a deliverer to save the Israelites.

10 The Spirit of the Lord was on him, and he judged Israel. Othniel went out to battle, and the Lord handed over Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram to him, so that Othniel overpowered him.

11 Then the land was peaceful^[f] 40 years, and Othniel 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit into the hand of
• [b] Lit Doubly-Evil
• [c] Or Aram-naharaim; Mesopotamia
• [d] Gn 24:10; Dt 23:4; 1 Ch 19:6; Ps 60 title
• [e] Jdg 1:13
• [f] Jdg 3:30; 5:31; 8:28; 2 Ch 14:1,5-6