New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Judges 3
1
The Lord left some nations in the land. He left them there in order to put the people of Israel to the test. He did it for all those who hadn't lived through any of the wars in Canaan.
Reference
2
He wanted to teach the men in Israel who had never been in battle before. He wanted them to learn how to fight.
3
So he left the five rulers of the Philistines. He left the people of Canaan and the people of Sidon. He left the Hivites who were living in the Lebanon mountains. They lived in the area that was between Mount Baal Hermon and Lebo Hamath.
Reference
📍 Locations
4
The Lord left those nations where they were in order to put Israel to the test. He wanted to see whether they would obey his commands. He had given those commands through Moses to their people of long ago.
Reference
5
So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 3:8
6
They got married to the daughters of those people. They gave their own daughters to the sons of those people. And they served the gods of those people.
Reference
References God
Exodus 34:16
7
The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God. They served the gods that were named after Baal. They also served the goddesses that were named after Asherah.
Reference
8
So the Lord's anger burned against Israel. He gave them over to the power of Cushan-Rishathaim. He was the king of Aram Naharaim. For eight years Israel was under his rule.
Reference
People
9
They cried out to the Lord. Then he gave them a man to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Kenaz. He was Caleb's younger brother.
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 1:13
References Lord
Judges 6:7
Judges 10:10
Judges 4:3
Resurrection
Judges 3:15
Judges 2:16
10
The Spirit of the Lord came on Othniel. So he became Israel's leader. He went to war. The Lord handed Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Aram, over to him. Othniel overpowered him.
Reference
12
Once again the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Because they did that, the Lord gave Eglon power over Israel. Eglon was the king of Moab.
Reference
13
He got the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him. All of them came and attacked Israel. They took over Jericho. Jericho was also known as The City of Palm Trees.
Reference
15
Again the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then he gave them a man to save them. His name was Ehud, the son of Gera. Ehud was left-handed. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. The people of Israel sent Ehud to Eglon, the king of Moab. They sent him to give the king what he required them to bring him.
Reference
People
Kingdom
Isaiah 36:16
Parallel theme
Psalm 78:34
1 Chronicles 12:2
Judges 20:16
Resurrection
Judges 3:9
16
Ehud had made a sword that had two edges. It was about a foot and a half long. He tied it to his right leg under his clothes.
17
Eglon, the king of Moab, was a very fat man. Ehud gave him the gift he had brought.
18
After that, he sent away those who had carried it.
19
At the place where some statues of gods stood near Gilgal, Ehud turned back. He said, "King Eglon, I have a secret message for you." The king said, "I want everyone to be quiet." And all of his attendants left him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 4:20
20
Then Ehud approached him. King Eglon was sitting alone in the upstairs room of his summer palace. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." So the king got up from his seat.
Reference
21
Then Ehud reached out his left hand. He pulled out the sword that was tied to his right leg. He stuck it into the king's stomach.
22
Even the handle sank in after the blade. The blade came right out the king's back. Ehud didn't pull the sword out. And the fat closed over it.
23
Ehud went out to the porch. He shut the doors of the upstairs room behind him. Then he locked them.
24
After he had gone, the servants came. They found the doors of the upstairs room locked. They said, "Eglon must be going to the toilet in the inside room of the house."
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 24:3
25
They waited for a long time. They waited so long they became worried. But the king still didn't open the doors of the room. So they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their king. He had fallen to the floor. He was dead.
26
While Eglon's servants had been waiting, Ehud had gotten away. He passed by the statues of gods and escaped to Seirah.
📍 Seirah
27
There in the hill country of Ephraim he blew a trumpet. Then he led the people of Israel down from the hills.
Reference
28
"Follow me," Ehud ordered. "The Lord has handed your enemy Moab over to you." So they followed him down. They took over the only places where people could go across the Jordan River to get to Moab. They didn't let anyone go across.
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 12:5
Joshua 2:7
Judges 7:24
References Lord
Judges 7:9
Judges 7:15
1 Samuel 17:47
29
At that time they struck down about 10,000 men of Moab. All of those men were strong and powerful. But not even one escaped.
30
That day Moab was brought under the rule of Israel. So the land was at peace for 80 years.
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 3:11
31
After Ehud, Shamgar became the next leader. He was the son of Anath. He struck down 600 Philistines with a large, pointed stick that was used to drive oxen. He saved Israel too.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Judges 5:6
1 Corinthians 1:17
1 Samuel 17:50
1 Samuel 17:47
Judges 15:15
Judges 2:16
References Israel
Judges 5:8
Summary of Judges 3
Judges chapter 3 introduces the first three judges mentioned in the book and shows the cycle that will continue throughout the history of Israel during this time. The Israelites had failed to drive out all of the people living in Canaan and the remaining nations became a test of Israel's faithfulness. Rather than remaining devoted to the Lord the Israelites repeatedly turned to the gods of the surrounding peoples. When they suffered because of their disobedience they cried out to God who raised up judges to deliver them.
The chapter starts off by explaining that several nations remained in the land. These included the Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians, Hivites, and others living in different parts of Canaan. God allowed these nations to remain for a time. One reason given is that the younger generations of Israelites had not experienced the wars of the conquest and needed to learn how to fight. More importantly their presence was a test of whether Israel would obey the commandments that God had given through Moses.
The Israelites were living among these nations and started to form relationships with them. Rather than remaining separate from the religious practices of the Canaanites the Israelites married among the surrounding peoples and started to serve their gods. This was exactly the type of behavior that God had warned them against.
The people served Baalim and the groves, turning away from the Lord God of Israel. As a result God's anger was kindled against them, and He allowed Israel to fall under the control of foreign rulers. The first major oppressor mentioned is Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia.
Israel served Chushanrishathaim for eight years. Eventually the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. God raised up Othniel, the son of Kenaz and Caleb's younger relative, to deliver them.
Othniel had already appeared briefly in the previous chapter when he captured Debir and married Achsah, Caleb's daughter. He becomes the first judge of Israel. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and he went out to battle against Chushanrishathaim. God gave Israel victory, and the land had rest for forty years.
The account involving Othniel is short, but it sets up the pattern of the book. Israel turns away from God, an enemy oppresses them, the people cry out, God raises a judge and the judge brings deliverance. After the period of peace, however, the cycle begins again.
After Othniel died, the Israelites returned to their old ways. The Lord allowed Eglon, the king of Moab, to become powerful against Israel. Eglon joined forces with the Ammonites and Amalekites and defeated Israel. He captured the city of palm trees, usually associated with Jericho, and Israel served him for eighteen years.
Again, the Israelites cried out to the Lord. God raised up Ehud, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, to deliver them.
Ehud was left-handed. He made himself a two-edged dagger and hid it under his clothing on his right side. He then brought a tribute to Eglon, the king of Moab. After delivering the tribute, Ehud began to leave with the other men. He then returned to Eglon and said that he had a secret message for the king.
Eglon sent his servants away and allowed Ehud to speak with him in private. When the king stood up, Ehud drew the hidden dagger with his right hand and drove it into Eglon's body. The text describes Eglon as a very large man, and the dagger disappeared into him. Ehud then escaped and locked the doors of the room behind him.
When Eglon's servants returned, they assumed that the king was resting in his private room. They waited until they became embarrassed by the delay and finally opened the doors. By then, Eglon was dead.
Ehud escaped to the mountains of Ephraim and sounded a trumpet. He called the Israelites to follow him because the Lord had delivered their enemy, the Moabites, into their hands. The Israelites followed Ehud and captured the fords of Jordan, preventing the Moabites from escaping or sending reinforcements.
They killed about ten thousand Moabite soldiers. The text states that not one of them escaped. Moab was brought under Israel's control, and the land had rest for eighty years.
The story of Ehud is much longer than the account of Othniel and shows how God used an unexpected person to deliver Israel. Ehud's left-handedness allowed him to carry his weapon on the opposite side from what his enemies expected. His ability to approach Eglon privately gave him an opportunity to strike the king and begin the defeat of Moab.
The chapter then introduces Shamgar, another deliverer of Israel. The account is extremely brief. Shamgar was the son of Anath, and he killed six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. He also delivered Israel.
An ox goad was a long, pointed tool that was used to guide and control oxen while plowing. Shamgar's weapon was therefore an ordinary farming implement rather than a conventional military weapon. The brief account emphasizes that God could bring deliverance through someone using whatever means were available.
Judges chapter 3 reveals the pattern of Israel's spiritual decline. The people did not simply forget God once. They repeatedly turned away after experiencing periods of peace. Each time, oppression brought them back to the Lord, but the change was often temporary.
The three judges in this chapter also show the variety of people that God used. Othniel was connected to Caleb and became Israel's first judge. Ehud was a left-handed Benjamite who used a hidden dagger to defeat Moab's king. Shamgar was known for killing Philistines with an ox goad. Their stories are very different, but each became an instrument of deliverance.
The chapter also makes clear that Israel's problems were connected to its relationships with the surrounding nations. The Israelites had been warned not to adopt the worship of the Canaanites and other peoples, but they ignored those warnings. Their religious compromise led to political and military oppression.
The periods of rest mentioned in the chapter show the temporary nature of these victories. Othniel's victory brought forty years of rest, while Ehud's victory brought eighty years. But peace did not permanently change Israel's behavior. After each generation of leadership passed, the people returned to their former ways.
Judges 3 sets the pattern that will dominate much of the book. Israel turns away from God, foreign enemies gain control, the people cry out, and God raises a judge to rescue them. The deliverance is real, but the people's faithfulness is not lasting. The stories of Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar begin the long record of judges that were used to rescue Israel during a period of repeated rebellion and conflict.
The chapter starts off by explaining that several nations remained in the land. These included the Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians, Hivites, and others living in different parts of Canaan. God allowed these nations to remain for a time. One reason given is that the younger generations of Israelites had not experienced the wars of the conquest and needed to learn how to fight. More importantly their presence was a test of whether Israel would obey the commandments that God had given through Moses.
The Israelites were living among these nations and started to form relationships with them. Rather than remaining separate from the religious practices of the Canaanites the Israelites married among the surrounding peoples and started to serve their gods. This was exactly the type of behavior that God had warned them against.
The people served Baalim and the groves, turning away from the Lord God of Israel. As a result God's anger was kindled against them, and He allowed Israel to fall under the control of foreign rulers. The first major oppressor mentioned is Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia.
Israel served Chushanrishathaim for eight years. Eventually the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. God raised up Othniel, the son of Kenaz and Caleb's younger relative, to deliver them.
Othniel had already appeared briefly in the previous chapter when he captured Debir and married Achsah, Caleb's daughter. He becomes the first judge of Israel. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and he went out to battle against Chushanrishathaim. God gave Israel victory, and the land had rest for forty years.
The account involving Othniel is short, but it sets up the pattern of the book. Israel turns away from God, an enemy oppresses them, the people cry out, God raises a judge and the judge brings deliverance. After the period of peace, however, the cycle begins again.
After Othniel died, the Israelites returned to their old ways. The Lord allowed Eglon, the king of Moab, to become powerful against Israel. Eglon joined forces with the Ammonites and Amalekites and defeated Israel. He captured the city of palm trees, usually associated with Jericho, and Israel served him for eighteen years.
Again, the Israelites cried out to the Lord. God raised up Ehud, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, to deliver them.
Ehud was left-handed. He made himself a two-edged dagger and hid it under his clothing on his right side. He then brought a tribute to Eglon, the king of Moab. After delivering the tribute, Ehud began to leave with the other men. He then returned to Eglon and said that he had a secret message for the king.
Eglon sent his servants away and allowed Ehud to speak with him in private. When the king stood up, Ehud drew the hidden dagger with his right hand and drove it into Eglon's body. The text describes Eglon as a very large man, and the dagger disappeared into him. Ehud then escaped and locked the doors of the room behind him.
When Eglon's servants returned, they assumed that the king was resting in his private room. They waited until they became embarrassed by the delay and finally opened the doors. By then, Eglon was dead.
Ehud escaped to the mountains of Ephraim and sounded a trumpet. He called the Israelites to follow him because the Lord had delivered their enemy, the Moabites, into their hands. The Israelites followed Ehud and captured the fords of Jordan, preventing the Moabites from escaping or sending reinforcements.
They killed about ten thousand Moabite soldiers. The text states that not one of them escaped. Moab was brought under Israel's control, and the land had rest for eighty years.
The story of Ehud is much longer than the account of Othniel and shows how God used an unexpected person to deliver Israel. Ehud's left-handedness allowed him to carry his weapon on the opposite side from what his enemies expected. His ability to approach Eglon privately gave him an opportunity to strike the king and begin the defeat of Moab.
The chapter then introduces Shamgar, another deliverer of Israel. The account is extremely brief. Shamgar was the son of Anath, and he killed six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. He also delivered Israel.
An ox goad was a long, pointed tool that was used to guide and control oxen while plowing. Shamgar's weapon was therefore an ordinary farming implement rather than a conventional military weapon. The brief account emphasizes that God could bring deliverance through someone using whatever means were available.
Judges chapter 3 reveals the pattern of Israel's spiritual decline. The people did not simply forget God once. They repeatedly turned away after experiencing periods of peace. Each time, oppression brought them back to the Lord, but the change was often temporary.
The three judges in this chapter also show the variety of people that God used. Othniel was connected to Caleb and became Israel's first judge. Ehud was a left-handed Benjamite who used a hidden dagger to defeat Moab's king. Shamgar was known for killing Philistines with an ox goad. Their stories are very different, but each became an instrument of deliverance.
The chapter also makes clear that Israel's problems were connected to its relationships with the surrounding nations. The Israelites had been warned not to adopt the worship of the Canaanites and other peoples, but they ignored those warnings. Their religious compromise led to political and military oppression.
The periods of rest mentioned in the chapter show the temporary nature of these victories. Othniel's victory brought forty years of rest, while Ehud's victory brought eighty years. But peace did not permanently change Israel's behavior. After each generation of leadership passed, the people returned to their former ways.
Judges 3 sets the pattern that will dominate much of the book. Israel turns away from God, foreign enemies gain control, the people cry out, and God raises a judge to rescue them. The deliverance is real, but the people's faithfulness is not lasting. The stories of Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar begin the long record of judges that were used to rescue Israel during a period of repeated rebellion and conflict.