Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Judges 3
Judges 3:4They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
This verse clearly states the purpose of the remaining Canaanite nations: they were a test to see if Israel would remain loyal to God's commands.Judges 3:9But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
This verse establishes the key pattern of the book. The people's cry for help is the turning point that moves God to act in mercy and send a savior.Judges 3:15Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
The story of Ehud, a left-handed man, shows that God's choice of a deliverer is often unconventional, reminding us that He can use anyone's unique qualities for His glory.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Test of Faithfulness for a New Generation
After the death of Joshua and the elders who knew him, a new generation of Israelites has risen. They have not personally experienced the miraculous wars of conquest and don't know the Lord in the same way. To test their loyalty, God intentionally leaves several powerful Canaanite nations in and around the Promised Land. This sets up a crucial choice for Israel: will they obey the commands given through Moses, or will they be influenced by the pagan cultures surrounding them?
The Vicious Cycle of Compromise Begins
The test does not go well. Instead of driving out the nations, the people of Israel begin to live among them, intermarry, and adopt their religious practices. They forget the Lord and start worshipping the local gods, Baal and Asherah. This direct violation of their covenant with God ignites His anger, leading Him to hand them over to foreign oppressors. This failure establishes the downward spiral of sin, suffering, and rescue that will mark the era of the judges.
The First Judges and the Cycle of Deliverance
Judges 3 lays out the grim but hopeful rhythm of this era. The chapter begins by explaining why hostile nations still exist in the Promised Land, setting the stage for a test of Israel's loyalty. It then unfolds the first two major cycles of deliverance, introducing Othniel as a straightforward hero and Ehud as a cunning, unconventional savior, showing the different ways God works to rescue His people.
The Reason for the Test (Judges 3:1-6)
3 Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan.
2 Only that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.
3 the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.
4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6 and they took their daughters to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.
Commentary:
God leaves enemy nations to test Israel's loyalty, but they quickly fail by intermarrying and worshipping idols.
Othniel: The First Deliverer (Judges 3:7-11)
7 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10 The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.
11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
Commentary:
After Israel sins, they are oppressed, but when they cry out, God sends Othniel to rescue them and bring 40 years of peace.
Ehud: The Left-Handed Assassin (Judges 3:12-30)
12 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
13 And he gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms.
14 And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
16 Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes.
17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18 And when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
19 But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence.
20 And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat.
21 But Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
22 And the handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out.
23 Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.
24 When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.”
25 And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their lord dead on the floor.
26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah.
27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader.
28 And he said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over.
29 And they killed at that time about ten thousand of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
Commentary:
Israel sins again and is oppressed by Moab, so God sends the left-handed Ehud, who assassinates the enemy king and leads Israel to victory.
Shamgar: The Farmer with an Oxgoad (Judges 3:31)
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.
Commentary:
Shamgar, another judge, saves Israel by killing 600 Philistines with a simple farm tool.
God's Pattern of Judgment and Grace
The Cycle of Sin and Redemption
This chapter establishes the foundational pattern of the book: Israel sins, God allows an oppressor as judgment, the people suffer and cry out for help, and God, in His mercy, raises up a deliverer. This cycle reveals the persistent sinfulness of humanity and the even more persistent grace of God, who responds to repentance.
The Danger of Spiritual Compromise
Israel's troubles begin with what seems like a social decision: living among and intermarrying with their neighbors. This compromise, however, leads directly to idolatry, a violation of their core identity as God's people. The chapter serves as a stark warning that small compromises can lead to spiritual decay and devastating consequences.
God Uses Unlikely Heroes
The deliverers God chooses are not powerful kings or famous generals. Ehud is a left-handed man from a small tribe, and Shamgar is a farmer with a cattle prod. This theme demonstrates that God's power is not limited by human standards. He delights in using unexpected people and unconventional means to accomplish His will.
Lessons from Israel's Cycle
The cycle in Judges 3 can feel very familiar. You might recognize a pattern of falling into a specific sin (disobedience), feeling the negative consequences (oppression), and finally turning back to God for help (crying out). This chapter is a powerful reminder that no matter how many times you fall into that cycle, God is always ready to hear your cry and offer restoration, just as He did for Israel (Judges 3:9, 15).
Israel's downfall began with seemingly small compromises like intermarriage, which led to full-blown idolatry (Judges 3:6-7). You can apply this by honestly examining areas where you might be blending your values with those of the world in ways that contradict God's word. This could be in your relationships, entertainment choices, or how you conduct business, as small compromises often open the door to larger spiritual problems.
Seeing God use a left-handed man and a farmer with an oxgoad is incredibly freeing. It shows that you don't need to be perfect, powerful, or have special resources for God to use you. Your unique traits, and even things you might perceive as weaknesses or disadvantages, can be the very tools God uses to accomplish His purpose in your life and community (Judges 3:15, 31).
God Responds to Our Cry
Judges 3 establishes a raw and repeating truth: disobedience leads to painful consequences, but a heartfelt cry for help never goes unheard by God. Through the stories of Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar, we see that God's mercy is not dependent on our perfection but on our turning back to Him. The message is a powerful reminder that even in the depths of our self-inflicted struggles, God is a deliverer who is ready to save.
What This Means for Us Today
The cycle in Judges is a stark invitation to self-examination. It asks us to see where we have forgotten God and found ourselves in bondage, but more importantly, it invites us to cry out. We can trust that the same God who raised up deliverers for Israel is eager to extend His grace and rescue to us today.
- Is there a recurring 'cycle' in my life that I need to bring before God?
- In what area of my life do I need to cry out to God for deliverance?
- How can I cultivate a heart of remembrance to avoid the spiritual amnesia that plagued Israel?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
Moses explicitly warns Israel not to intermarry with Canaanite nations or worship their gods, predicting the exact failure seen in Judges 3.
This prayer of confession perfectly summarizes Israel's historical cycle of rebellion, oppression, crying out, and deliverance found throughout Judges.
Paul uses Israel's failures as a warning for believers, showing that these historical accounts are meant to teach us how to flee idolatry and trust God's faithfulness.
Discussion Questions
- Judges 3 says God left nations to 'test' Israel. In what ways do you feel God allows tests in your life today, and how does your response compare to Israel's?
- Ehud's story is quite graphic and involves deception. How do we reconcile God using such a violent and cunning act for deliverance with His holy character?
- The Israelites repeatedly forgot God as soon as things were peaceful. What practical steps can we take to remember God's faithfulness during times of ease and in times of crisis?
Glossary
places
Mesopotamia
A region in the ancient Near East, literally 'between the rivers' Tigris and Euphrates, from where the first oppressor came.
Moab
An ancient kingdom east of the Dead Sea, whose king, Eglon, oppressed Israel.
Gilgal
A location near the Jordan River that was a significant early campsite and spiritual center for Israel after entering the Promised Land.
figures
Othniel
The first judge of Israel, nephew of Caleb, who delivered Israel from Mesopotamian oppression.
Ehud
A left-handed judge from the tribe of Benjamin who assassinated King Eglon and freed Israel from Moabite rule.
Eglon
The very fat king of Moab who oppressed Israel for eighteen years before being killed by Ehud.
Shamgar
A judge who famously killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad, a simple farming tool.
Baals and Asheroth
The primary male and female deities of the Canaanites, whose worship involved idolatry and fertility rites.
theological concepts
Apostasy
The act of abandoning one's religious faith and belief, which Israel repeatedly did by turning to idols.
Divine Judgment
God's response to sin, which in Judges often took the form of allowing foreign nations to oppress Israel.
Deliverance
The act of being rescued or set free, which God provided for Israel through the judges.