Judges 3:7-11

Othniel

7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim,^[a] to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.

9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them.

10 The Spirit of the LORD came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge^[b] and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.

11 So the land had peace for forty years, until 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.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 4:9; S Deuteronomy 32:18; Judges 8:34; Psalms 78:11,42; Psalms 106:7; Jeremiah 23:27
• 2. S Exodus 34:13; S Judges 2:11,13; 1 Kings 16:33; 2 Chronicles 34:7; Isaiah 17:8
• 3. Judges 2:14; Psalms 44:12; Isaiah 50:1; Isaiah 52:3
• 4. ver 10
• 5. S Genesis 24:10
• 6. ver 15; Judges 6:6,7; Judges 10:10; 1 Samuel 12:10; Psalms 106:44; Psalms 107:13
• 7. S Deuteronomy 28:29; Nehemiah 9:27
• 8. S Joshua 15:17; Judges 1:13
• 9. S Numbers 11:25,29; Numbers 24:2; Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29; Judges 13:25; Judges 14:6,19; Judges 15:14; 1 Samuel 11:6; 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Kings 18:46; 1 Chronicles 12:18; 2Ch Numbers 24:20; Isaiah 11:2
• 10. ver 8
• 11. S Genesis 10:22
• 12. ver 30; S Joshua 14:15; Judges 5:31; Judges 8:28
• 13. S Exodus 16:35
• 14. S Joshua 15:17

Footnotes

• [a] That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
• [b] Or "leader"