evil. Hebrew "the evil"; i.e. the special evil (idolatry) which had been forbidden as such. See App-44 . God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . the groves = Asherim. App-42 . See note on Exodus 34:13 . read more
sold. Compare Judges 2:14 . Jdg 2:14490 years since Abraham left Mesopotamia. read more
THE MAIN BODY OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES (Judges 3:7-16:31);THE JUDGESHIPS OF OTHNIEL; EHUD; AND SHAMGARI. OTHNIEL (Judges 3:7-11)"And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth. Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. And when the children of... read more
Judges 3:5-7. And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, &c.— We learn from these verses, that the children of Israel offended in three particulars: First, In suffering to remain among them that people whom they ought to have destroyed. Secondly, In contracting alliances with them, contrary to the express prohibition of the Lord, Deuteronomy 7:3; Deuteronomy 7:26. And thirdly, In worshipping their idols. The words Baalim, and the groves, undoubtedly mean the same, as Baal and... read more
Judges 3:8. Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia— King of Mesopotamia, appears to be the interpretation of Chushan-rishathaim. Mesopotamia was situated between the Tigris and Euphrates, and thence had its name [between the rivers]: the Assyrians or Syrians were the inhabitants; and, instigated either by hatred or ambition, they passed the Euphrates, and fell upon the Israelites. We have very little light from prophane history concerning this king. He made the children of Israel tributary for... read more
8-11. sold them—that is, "delivered them" into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim—or, Chushan, "the wicked." This name had been probably given him from his cruel and impious character. served Chushan-rishathaim eight years—by the payment of a stipulated tribute yearly, the raising of which must have caused a great amount of labor and privation. read more
A. The first apostasy 3:7-11The first of six periods of oppression by Israel’s enemies began while Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother, was still alive and strong (cf. Joshua 15:17; Judges 1:13). The writer identified each of these periods with the phrase "the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 3:7; Judges 3:12; Judges 4:1; Judges 6:1; Judges 10:6; Judges 13:1).Many scholars now identify Asheroth (Judges 3:7, NASB) with the Canaanite goddess Asherah (NIV) and the... read more
II. THE RECORD OF ISRAEL’S APOSTASY 3:7-16:31"The judges are twelve in number, reckoning either Deborah or Barak as a judge and omitting Abimelech, whose status in fact depended wholly on his descent from Gideon, and who was in effect not a ’deliverer’, and a ’judge’ only in the sense of a local ruler on his own account." [Note: John Gray, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, p. 189.] Israel’s JudgesJudgeScriptureIsrael’s OppressorsLength in YearsNation(s)King(s)OppressionJudgeshipPeaceOthnielJudges... read more
The Story of the Judges. Othniel. Ehud. Shamgar1-6. Israel’s actual relations with the Canaanites.1. Wars of Canaan] i.e. those waged by Joshua, after whose death (Judges 2:21) the career of victory was made to cease by Jehovah. 2. A third reason for the survival of the heathen in Canaan, in addition to those given in Judges 2:1; and in. Judges 2:22; Judges 3:1. 3. Philistines] see Intro. § 5. The Philistines occupied the lowland in the SW. Their five cities formed a confederacy: see Judges... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 3:7-31
Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar (3:7-31)The first invader of Israel seems to have come from Aram, which was far to the north of Palestine. The Israelite leader who finally defeated him, Othniel, came from the tribe of Judah, which was in the south of Palestine (see Joshua 15:13-19). It appears, therefore, that the enemy had overrun most of the land. As in other cases recorded in Judges, Israel’s victory came through God’s special power given to the deliverer (7-11; cf. 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6,19;... read more