Judges 3:13

13 He gathered to him the children of `Ammon and `Amalek; and he went and struck Yisra'el, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

Judges 3:13 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 3:13

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek,
&c.] Either the Lord gathered them to Eglon, inclined them to enter into a confederacy with him, to assist in the war against Israel; or the king of Moab got them to join with him in it, they being his neighbours, and enemies to Israel, and especially Amalek:

and went and smote Israel;
first the two tribes and a half, which lay on that side Jordan Moab did, whom it is reasonable to suppose he would attack first; and having defeated them, he came over Jordan:

and possessed the city of the palm trees;
Jericho, as the Targum, which was set with palm trees; see ( Deuteronomy 34:3 ) ( Judges 1:16 ) ; not the city itself, for that was destroyed by Joshua, and not rebuilt until the time of Ahab; but the country, about it, or, as Abarbinel thinks, a city that was near it; here Josephus says ^F20 he had his royal palace; it is probable he built a fort or garrison here, to secure the fords of Jordan, and his own retreat; as well as to keep up a communication with his own people, and prevent the tribes of the other side giving any assistance to their brethren, if able and disposed to do it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 1.

Judges 3:13 In-Context

11 The land had rest forty years. `Otni'el the son of Kenaz died.

12 The children of Yisra'el again did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened `Eglon the king of Mo'av against Yisra'el, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 He gathered to him the children of `Ammon and `Amalek; and he went and struck Yisra'el, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

14 The children of Yisra'el served `Eglon the king of Mo'av eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Yisra'el cried to the LORD, the LORD raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Binyamini, a man left-handed. The children of Yisra'el sent tribute by him to `Eglon the king of Mo'av.