Shofetim 3:11

11 And the land had rest arba’im shanah. And Otniel ben Kenaz died.

Shofetim 3:11 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 3:11

And the land had rest forty years
As it should seem from the time of this deliverance; though, according to Ben Gersom and Abarbinel, the eight years' servitude are to be included in them; and Bishop Usher ^F18 reckons these forty years from the rest first settled in the land by Joshua; but the former sense seems best:

and Othniel the son of Kenaz died:
not at the end of the forty years; it is not likely he should live so long, but when he died is not certain; Eusebius ^F19 says he judged Israel fifty years.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 Anual. Vet. Test. p. 42.
F19 Evangel. Praepar. l. 1O. c. 14. p. 502.

Shofetim 3:11 In-Context

9 And when the Bnei Yisroel cried unto Hashem, Hashem raised up a Moshia (Deliverer, Savior) to the Bnei Yisroel, who saved them, even Otniel ben Kenaz, Kalev’s younger brother.

10 And the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem came upon him, and he judged Yisroel, and went out to milchamah; and Hashem delivered Chushan Rishataim Melech Aram into his yad; and his yad prevailed against Chushan Rishataim.

11 And the land had rest arba’im shanah. And Otniel ben Kenaz died.

12 And the Bnei Yisroel did rah again in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem strengthened Eglon Melech Moav against Yisroel, because they had done rah in the sight of Hashem.

13 And he gathered unto him the Bnei Ammon and Amalek, and went and attacked Yisroel, and possessed the Ir HaTemarim.