Judges 3

King James Version

Full text for Judges Chapter 3

1¶ Now these [are] the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, [even] as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

3[Namely], five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

4And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

6And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

8¶ Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

9And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

11And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12¶ And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

13And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

14So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

16But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

17And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon [was] a very fat man.

18And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

19But he himself turned again from the quarries that [were] by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

20And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of [his] seat.

21And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

22And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

23Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.

24When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour [were] locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

25And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened [them]: and, behold, their lord [was] fallen down dead on the earth.

26And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

27And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

28And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

29And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

31¶ And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Judges 3 details Israel's repeated cycle of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance. The LORD left nations to test Israel, but they intermarried and served foreign gods, leading to servitude under kings like Chushanrishathaim and Eglon. In response to Israel's cries, the LORD raised up deliverers such as Othniel, who brought 40 years of rest, and Ehud, who cunningly assassinated Eglon and secured 80 years of peace. The chapter concludes with a brief mention of Shamgar's deliverance.

Medium Summary

Judges chapter 3 opens by explaining that the LORD left certain nations in Canaan to test Israel's obedience and to teach them warfare. However, Israel failed this test, intermarrying with these peoples and serving their gods, including Baalim. This apostasy provoked the LORD's anger, leading to their oppression, first by Chushanrishathaim of Mesopotamia for eight years. When Israel cried out, Othniel, empowered by the Spirit of the LORD, delivered them, resulting in forty years of peace. Yet, Israel again committed evil, leading to eighteen years of servitude under Eglon, king of Moab. The LORD then raised up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, who cunningly assassinated King Eglon. Ehud subsequently rallied Israel, leading them to a decisive victory over the Moabites, securing eighty years of rest for the land. The chapter concludes with a brief account of Shamgar, who delivered Israel by slaying six hundred Philistines with an ox goad.

Long Summary

Judges chapter 3 establishes the divine purpose for the remaining Canaanite, Philistine, Sidonian, and Hivite nations: to test Israel's obedience to the LORD's commandments and to teach subsequent generations the art of war. Despite this, the children of Israel failed to drive out these nations, instead dwelling among them, intermarrying, and adopting their idolatrous practices, serving Baalim and the groves. This apostasy provoked the LORD's anger, leading Him to sell them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, under whom they served for eight years. When Israel cried out in distress, the LORD raised up Othniel, Caleb's younger brother, upon whom the Spirit of the LORD came. Othniel judged Israel, went to war, and delivered them from Chushanrishathaim, resulting in forty years of peace in the land until his death. However, Israel again committed evil in the LORD's sight, prompting Him to strengthen Eglon, king of Moab, against them. Eglon, allied with the Ammonites and Amalekites, oppressed Israel for eighteen years, even possessing the city of palm trees. Once more, Israel cried unto the LORD, who raised up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, as their deliverer. Ehud, presenting a tribute to Eglon, secretly fashioned a two-edged dagger and, under the pretext of a secret message from God, assassinated the very fat king in his private chamber. Ehud then escaped, blew a trumpet in Mount Ephraim, and rallied the Israelites. He led them to seize the fords of Jordan, preventing the Moabites' escape, and they slew about ten thousand Moabite men. This decisive victory subdued Moab, and the land enjoyed eighty years of rest. The chapter concludes with a concise mention of Shamgar, the son of Anath, who delivered Israel by slaying six hundred Philistines with an ox goad.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Testing and InstructionThe LORD intentionally left certain nations in Canaan to test Israel's obedience to His commandments and to teach the generations who had not experienced the initial wars of Canaan how to engage in warfare.
  • Cycle of Apostasy and DeliveranceThe chapter illustrates a recurring pattern: Israel commits evil by serving foreign gods, leading to divine anger and oppression by foreign powers. When they cry out to the LORD, He raises up a deliverer, bringing a period of rest, only for the cycle to repeat.
  • Othniel's DeliveranceOthniel, the first judge, was empowered by the Spirit of the LORD to deliver Israel from eight years of servitude under Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, securing forty years of peace for the land.
  • Ehud's Cunning DeliveranceEhud, a left-handed Benjamite, delivered Israel from eighteen years of Moabite oppression under King Eglon through a strategic and deceptive assassination. His actions highlight a more unconventional method of deliverance, followed by a decisive military victory.
  • Idolatry and IntermarriageA primary cause of Israel's downfall was their failure to drive out the indigenous peoples, instead intermarrying with them and adopting their worship of Baalim and other foreign gods, which was an abomination in the sight of the LORD.
  • The Spirit of the LORDThe Spirit of the LORD is explicitly mentioned as coming upon Othniel, empowering him to judge Israel and lead them to victory, signifying divine enablement for the appointed deliverers.
  • Shamgar's Brief DeliveranceShamgar is briefly noted as another deliverer who slew six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, demonstrating that deliverance could come through various means and individuals, even in short, impactful acts.