Judges 3:10

10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him This expression occurs six times in this book, and is by no means equivalent to the New Testament “gift of the Holy Ghost;” nor can it be used as certain proof of great spiritual purity or eminent piety in him to whom it is referred. It designates the sudden divine impulse that quickened the heroes of this age to marvellous feats of valour, and was chiefly of a physical and psychical character. It denotes the supernatural influence that thrilled all the heroic passions of the soul, and always led to deeds of bravery and power. Thus it is used of the supernatural impulse that led Gideon to blow the trumpet and assemble the people for war, (Judges 6:34;) that inspired Jephthah to lead his army against Ammon, (Judges 11:29;) that moved Samson to his early feats of strength, (Judges 13:25,) and to rend the young lion of Timnath, (Judges 14:6,) and to slay the thirty men of Ashkelon, (Judges 14:19.) In Othniel’s case it seems to denote the divine guidance by which he both judged and fought. His high natural qualities, love of justice, love of country, courage, and military skill, were crowned with an unwavering faith in God, breathed into his soul by the Holy Spirit. There can be no great warrior and national saviour without a large infusion of the religious element into his nature.

He judged Israel He was born to command. His generation of Hebrews yielded him instinctive and unquestioning obedience. The spirit which he infused into them, and the trust which he reposed in God, together with the unanimity of the nation in rallying to his standard, were sufficient credenda of his divine vocation to the leadership of Israel. He judged not in the narrow, technical sense, but he administered the military and civil government of the theocracy.