Judges 3
3
1 These were the nations the Lord permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel – he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites.#tn Heb “did not know the wars of Canaan.” 2 He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war.#tn The Hebrew syntax of v. 2 is difficult. The Hebrew text reads literally, “only in order that the generations of the Israelites might know, to teach them war – only those who formerly did not know them.”sn The stated purpose for leaving the nations (to teach the subsequent generations…how to conduct holy war) seems to contradict 2:22 and 3:4, which indicate the nations were left to test Israel’s loyalty to the Lord. However, the two stated purposes can be harmonized. The willingness of later generations to learn and engage in holy war would measure their allegiance to the Lord (see B. G. Webb, Judges [JSOTSup], 114-15). 3 These were the nations:#tn The words “These were the nations,” though not present in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarity. the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo-Hamath.#tn Or “the entrance to Hamath.” 4 They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.#tn Heb “to know if they would hear the commands of the Lord which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.”
5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6 They took the Canaanites’ daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites;#tn Heb “to their sons.” they worshiped#tn Or “served”; or “followed” (this term occurs in the following verse as well). their gods as well.
Othniel: A Model Leader
7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight.#tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord.” They forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.#sn The Asherahs were local manifestations of the Canaanite goddess Asherah. 8 The Lord was furious with Israel#tn Or “The Lord’s anger burned (or raged) against Israel.” and turned them over to#tn Heb “sold them into the hands of.” King Cushan-Rishathaim#tn Or “Cushan the Doubly Wicked.” of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjects#tn Or “they served Cushan-Rishathaim.” for eight years. 9 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he#tn Heb “the Lord.” raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued#tn Or “delivered.” them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.#tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel is Caleb’s nephew). 10 The Lord’s spirit empowered him#tn Heb “was on him.” and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him.#tn Heb “his hand was strong against Cushan-Rishathaim.” 11 The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Deceit, Assassination, and Deliverance
12 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight.#tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord” (also later in this verse). The Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel#tn Heb “strengthened Eglon…against Israel.” because they had done evil in the Lord’s sight. 13 Eglon formed alliances with#tn Heb “and he gathered to him.” the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the City of Date Palm Trees. 14 The Israelites were subject to#tn Or “the Israelites served Eglon.” King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.
15 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he#tn Heb “the Lord.” This has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man.#tn The phrase, which refers to Ehud, literally reads “bound/restricted in the right hand,” apparently a Hebrew idiom for a left-handed person. See Judg 20:16, where 700 Benjaminites are described in this way. Perhaps the Benjaminites purposely trained several of their young men to be left-handed warriors by restricting the use of the right hand from an early age so the left hand would become dominant. Left-handed men would have a distinct military advantage, especially when attacking city gates. See B. Halpern, “The Assassination of Eglon: The First Locked-Room Murder Mystery,” BRev 4 (1988): 35. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment.#tn Heb “The Israelites sent by his hand an offering to Eglon, king of Moab.” 16 Ehud made himself a sword – it had two edges and was eighteen inches long.#tn The Hebrew term גֹּמֶד (gomed) denotes a unit of linear measure, perhaps a cubit (the distance between the elbow and the tip of the middle finger – approximately 18 inches [45 cm]). Some suggest it is equivalent to the short cubit (the distance between the elbow and the knuckles of the clenched fist – approximately 13 inches [33 cm]) or to the span (the distance between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger in a spread hand – approximately 9 inches [23 cm]). See BDB 167 s.v.; HALOT 196 s.v.; B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 142. He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh. 17 He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)
18 After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it.#tn Heb “the tribute payment.” 19 But he went back#tn Or “returned” (i.e., to Eglon’s palace). once he reached#tn The words “when he reached” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text simply reads “from.” the carved images#tn Or “idols.” at Gilgal. He said to Eglon,#tn The words “to Eglon” are supplied in the translation for clarification. “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eglon) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said, “Be quiet!”#tn Or “Hush!” All his attendants left. 20 When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated#tn Or “cool.” This probably refers to a room with latticed windows which allowed the breeze to pass through. See B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 144. upper room all by himself. Ehud said, “I have a message from God#tn Heb “word of [i.e., from] God.” for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat,#tn Or “throne.” 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and drove it into Eglon’s#tn Heb “his”; the referent (Eglon) has been specified in the translation for clarity. belly. 22 The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehud#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ehud) has been specified in the translation for clarity. did not pull the sword out of his belly.#tn The Hebrew text has “and he went out to the [?].” The meaning of the Hebrew word פַּרְשְׁדֹנָה (parshÿdonah) which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. The noun has the article prefixed and directive suffix. The word may be a technical architectural term, indicating the area into which Ehud moved as he left the king and began his escape. In this case Ehud is the subject of the verb “went out.” The present translation omits the clause, understanding it as an ancient variant of the first clause in v. 23. Some take the noun as “back,” understand “sword” (from the preceding clause) as the subject, and translate “the sword came out his [i.e., Eglon’s] back.” But this rendering is unlikely since the Hebrew word for “sword” (חֶרֶב, kherev) is feminine and the verb form translated “came out” (וַיֵּצֵא, vayyetse’) is masculine. (One expects agreement in gender when the subject is supplied from the preceding clause. See Ezek 33:4, 6.) See B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 146-48, for discussion of the options. 23 As Ehud went out into the vestibule,#tn Again the precise meaning of the Hebrew word, used only here in the OT, is uncertain. Since it is preceded by the verb “went out” and the next clause refers to Ehud closing doors, the noun is probably an architectural term referring to the room (perhaps a vestibule; see HALOT 604 s.v. מִסְדְּרוֹן) immediately outside the king’s upper chamber. As v. 24 indicates, this vestibule separated the upper room from an outer room where the king's servants were waiting. he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
24 When Ehud had left, Eglon’s#tn Heb “his.” servants came and saw the locked doors of the upper room. They said, “He must be relieving himself#tn Heb “covering his feet” (i.e., with his outer garments while he relieves himself). in the well-ventilated inner room.”#tn The Hebrew expression translated “well-ventilated inner room” may refer to the upper room itself or to a bathroom attached to or within it. 25 They waited so long they were embarrassed, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. Finally they took the key and opened the doors.#tn The words “the doors” are supplied. Right before their eyes was their master, sprawled out dead on the floor!#tn Heb “See, their master, fallen to the ground, dead.” 26 Now Ehud had escaped while they were delaying. When he passed the carved images, he escaped to Seirah.
27 When he reached Seirah,#tn Heb “When he arrived.” he blew a trumpet#tn That is, “mustered an army.” in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites went down with him from the hill country, with Ehud in the lead.#tn Heb “now he was before them.” 28 He said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!”#tn Heb “for the Lord has given your enemies, Moab, into your hand.” The verb form (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.” They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan River#tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for clarity. opposite Moab,#tn Or “against Moab,” that is, so as to prevent the Moabites from crossing. and did not let anyone cross. 29 That day they killed about ten thousand Moabites#tn Heb “They struck Moab that day – about ten thousand men.” – all strong, capable warriors; not one escaped. 30 Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.
31 After Ehud#tn Heb “him”; the referent (Ehud) has been specified in the translation for clarity. came#tn Heb “was.” Shamgar son of Anath; he killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad and, like Ehud,#tn Heb “also he”; the referent (Ehud) has been specified in the translation for clarity. delivered Israel.
Currently Selected:
Judges 3: NET
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1996 - 2007 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC
Judges 3
3
1These are the nations the Lord did not force to leave. He wanted to test the Israelites who had not fought in the wars of Canaan. 2(The only reason the Lord left those nations in the land was to teach the descendants of the Israelites who had not fought in those wars how to fight.) 3These are the nations: the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the people of Sidon, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4Those nations were in the land to test the Israelites—to see if they would obey the commands the Lord had given to their ancestors by Moses.
5The people of Israel lived with the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6The Israelites began to marry the daughters of those people, and they allowed their daughters to marry the sons of those people. Israel also served their gods.
Othniel, the First Judge
7The Israelites did what the Lord said was wrong. They forgot about the Lord their God and served the idols of Baal and Asherah. 8So the Lord was angry with Israel and allowed Cushan-Rishathaim king of Northwest Mesopotamia to rule over the Israelites for eight years. 9When Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord sent someone to save them. Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, saved the Israelites. 10The Spirit of the Lord entered Othniel, and he became Israel’s judge. When he went to war, the Lord handed over to him Cushan-Rishathaim king of Northwest Mesopotamia. 11So the land was at peace for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Ehud, the Judge
12Again the people of Israel did what the Lord said was wrong. So the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power to defeat Israel because of the evil Israel did. 13Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join him. Then he attacked Israel and took Jericho, the city of palm trees. 14So the people of Israel were ruled by Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
15When the people cried to the Lord, he sent someone to save them. He was Ehud, son of Gera from the people of Benjamin, who was left-handed. Israel sent Ehud to give Eglon king of Moab the payment he demanded. 16Ehud made himself a sword with two edges, about eighteen inches long, and he tied it to his right hip under his clothes. 17Ehud gave Eglon king of Moab the payment he demanded. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18After he had given Eglon the payment, Ehud sent away the people who had carried it. 19When he passed the statues near Gilgal, he turned around and said to Eglon, “I have a secret message for you, King Eglon.”
The king said, “Be quiet!” Then he sent all of his servants out of the room. 20Ehud went to King Eglon, as he was sitting alone in the room above his summer palace.
Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king stood up from his chair, 21Ehud reached with his left hand and took out the sword that was tied to his right hip. Then he stabbed the sword deep into the king’s belly! 22Even the handle sank in, and the blade came out his back. The king’s fat covered the whole sword, so Ehud left the sword in Eglon. 23Then he went out of the room and closed and locked the doors behind him.
24When the servants returned just after Ehud left, they found the doors to the room locked. So they thought the king was relieving himself. 25They waited for a long time. Finally they became worried because he still had not opened the doors. So they got the key and unlocked them and saw their king lying dead on the floor!
26While the servants were waiting, Ehud had escaped. He passed by the statues and went to Seirah. 27When he reached the mountains of Ephraim he blew the trumpet. The people of Israel heard it and went down from the hills with Ehud leading them.
28He said to them, “Follow me! The Lord has helped you to defeat your enemies, the Moabites.” So Israel followed Ehud and captured the crossings of the Jordan River. They did not allow the Moabites to cross the Jordan River. 29Israel killed about ten thousand strong and able men from Moab; not one escaped. 30So that day Moab was forced to be under the rule of Israel, and there was peace in the land for eighty years.
Shamgar, the Judge
31After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath saved Israel. Shamgar killed six hundred Philistines with a sharp stick used to guide oxen.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.