20140223 Sunday, February 23 2014
Judges 03: Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"When the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel"

The era of the Judges (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Judges) spanned approximately two centuries, from the passing of Joshua's generation (see Joshua 24: The Covenant Of Shechem and Judges 2: The Rise Of The Judges) to the time of King Saul and King David (see the Fact Finder question below). It was a time marked by the people of Israel falling into gross idolatry, from which the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) allowed their enemies to defeat and oppress them - after which "the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel."

The remnant of the Canaanites (see also What Does The Bible Really Say About Canaanites?) in the land served as a test of Israel's faithfulness and obedience to the LORD.

"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; 3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3:3 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. 3:4 And 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.

3:5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 3:6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods." (Judges 3:1-6 KJV)

There were numerous "Judges." One of the first recorded was Othniel, a nephew of Caleb (see Joshua 14: Caleb's Hebron).

"3:7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. 3:8 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. 3:9 And 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. 3:10 And 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. 3:11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died." (Judges 3:7-11 KJV)

The LORD empowered Ehud, a Benjamite, to deliver the Israelites from the king of Moab. It was a natural choice - the territory of Benjamin (see Joshua 18: The Land Of Benjamin) was directly across the Jordan River from Moab.

"3:12 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. 3:13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 3:14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

3:15 But 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. 3:16 But 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. 3:17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. 3:18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. 3:19 But 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.

3:20 And 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. 3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 3:22 And 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. 3:23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.

3:24 When 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. 3:25 And 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.

3:26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 3:27 And 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.

3:28 And 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. 3:29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. 3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years." (Judges 3:12-30 KJV)

"Shamgar the son of Anath" was another of the earliest Judges.

"3:31 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." (Joshua 3:31 KJV)

Fact Finder: Who was the last of the Judges? How did the LORD use him to establish the Israelite monarchy?
See Israel In History and Prophecy: Samuel