3:1 who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan See Judg 3:2.

3:2 would know war, to teach Judges 2:23 reports that God did not expel the nations of Canaan to test the spiritual commitment of Israel. This verse indicates another reason: so the generation that fought under Joshua would learn warfare. This skill would help secure Israel’s nationhood, though military power was never a substitute for trust in Yahweh (see Deut 17:16).

3:3 the five rulers of the Philistines The leaders of the five Philistine cities along the coast (see Josh 13:3 and note).

Philistines

the Canaanites A general term denoting various native people groups living in Canaan.

the Sidonians Refers to the residents of Sidon, an important Phoenician city.

the Hivites Not much is known of this Canaanite nation aside from their placement in the line of Ham (Gen 10:17). The Gibeonites, the people who deceived Joshua and the rest of Israel into making a treaty with them, were Hivites (Josh 9).

living on Mount Lebanon See Num 34:8; Josh 13:5. Lebanon was in the northern part of Canaan.

3:4 They were left for testing Israel See note on Judg 2:22.

3:5 the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites The six nations listed here were the native peoples that the Israelites were to completely destroy (Exod 3:8; 23:23; Deut 7:1–2). Israel was not to live among them as described here.

3:6 they served their gods Intermarriage with the neighboring nations was specifically forbidden to prevent this kind of behavior (see note on Josh 23:12; compare Exod 34:16; Deut 7:3).

3:7–11 This narrative begins the cycle of apostasy, judgment, repentance, and deliverance that will repeat throughout the book (see note on Judg 2:11–15). This cycle is summarized in 2:11–23, which provides the template for the story of every judge: Israel turns from God, God allows them to be oppressed, Israel calls out to God for help, God raises up a deliverer, Israel is delivered, the judge dies, and Israel turns from God again. Pre-Monarchic Israel DOT: HB

Judges and Their Rule Table

3:7 Baals See note on 2:13.

the Asheroth Refers to idols or objects devoted to the goddess Asherah. These idols or objects are also known as Asherim. In Deuteronomy 12:3, Moses specifically calls on Israel to destroy these objects upon entering the land. See Exod 34:13 and note.

3:8 the anger of Yahweh was kindled See note on Judg 2:11–15.

Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Aram Naharaim This king probably comes from a region east of the Euphrates. The name means “Cushan of double wickedness” and is therefore likely a pejorative description, not his actual name. He is not otherwise known from records of Syria or Mesopotamia.

3:9 a deliverer The Hebrew term used here (moshia'), often translated as “deliverer,” is not the word for “judge” (shophet). The related Hebrew verb yasha' appears in 2:16 describing what the judges did. See note on 2:11–15.

Othniel See 1:13 and note.

3:10 the spirit of Yahweh came upon him This expression—crucial for understanding the judges and their context—occurs elsewhere in the book (6:34; 11:29; 14:19; 15:14). In the ot, the Spirit comes upon people to enable them to perform divinely appointed tasks. The expression also occurs with respect to kings in 1 Samuel (1 Sam 11:6; 16:13–14).

3:11 So the land rested forty years Indicates that there was no foreign oppressor.

3:12–30 The cycle of the book of Judges continues: The previous judge dies and the people turn away again (see note on Judg 3:7–11). God then raises up Ehud to deliver the people from Moab. Pre-Monarchic Israel DOT: HB

Judges and Their Rule Table

3:12 Eglon king of Moab The list in vv. 3–6 does not mention the Moabites as one of the enemy peoples that should have been expelled from Canaan. Moab’s territory was in the Transjordan, and Israel had problems with them during their journey to Canaan (see Num 22–25). The Moabites were related to the Israelites through Lot, Abraham’s nephew (see Gen 19:36–37). Eglon appears to have led a coalition that included the Ammonites and Amalekites.

3:13 the Ammonites and Amalekites Like Moab, the Ammonites were from the Transjordan. While Amalek (the person) is linked with Edom in Gen 36:16, the Amalekites were a seminomadic people who dwelled across the Negev (Num 13:29; 1 Sam 15:7).

they took possession of the city of palms Perhaps a reference to Jericho (Deut 34:3). If so, Eglon had re-inhabited the city cursed by Joshua (Josh 6:26).

3:15 son of Gera, a Benjaminite The fact that a Benjaminite acts as savior is significant since deliverance at the hands of a Benjaminite dramatically reverses the portrayal of Benjamin and Judah (compare Judg 1:8, 21; compare chs. 19–21).

a left-handed man The name “Benjamin” means “son of the right hand” in Hebrew. The narrative ironically notes Ehud was left-handed, but this detail is crucial to the success of his plan to deliver Israel from Moab. Benjaminites were known for their skill with slings using their left hands (see 20:16), but these warriors were likely ambidextrous (see 1 Chron 12:2).

to Eglon king of Moab See Judg 3:12.

3:16 a cubit in length A cubit was the length of a man’s arm from elbow to fingertips, roughly 18 inches on average.

he fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh Since most warriors were right-handed, they wore such weapons on their left thigh, reaching across their bodies to draw them. Ehud would have appeared unarmed.

3:17 tribute An annual payment to one’s oppressor in exchange for relative peace.

3:18 he sent away the people Refers to those who had accompanied Ehud.

3:19 he turned back from the sculptured stones that were near Gilgal Possibly boundary stones fashioned into idol images or with idolatrous images carved on them. Such stones are known from Babylon (called kudurru stones). Gilgal was a sacred site to Israel, being both Joshua’s former headquarters and the location of the 12 memorial stones commemorating Israel’s entrance into Canaan (see Josh 4:19–20; 5:9–10; 9:6).

a secret message The Hebrew word davar means either “word” or “thing,” so Ehud may be saying, “I have something for you, O king.”

3:20 his cool upper room Could also be translated “the room above the beams,” referring to a private upper chamber or a raised throne area. A private room makes more sense in Judg 3:24–25.

3:22 the blade The writer makes the scene more memorable in this verse by playing on the similar sounds of the Hebrew words for blade (lahav), fat (helev), and sword (herev).

he did not draw back the sword Either Ehud could not remove the sword or he deliberately chose not to. The latter is probable, since taking the weapon with him might leave a trail of blood.

it went protruding out the back Ehud’s blow apparently severs the large intestine so that excrement bursts out.

3:23 Ehud went out the vestibule Ehud apparently finds a way out of the chamber so as to leave the doors closed and locked.

3:24 he is relieving himself A common biblical euphemism (see 1 Sam 24:3). The king’s private chamber would have had its own bathroom, hence the reluctance of Eglon’s servants to interrupt him (Judg 3:25).

3:26 to Seirah An unknown location.

3:28 Moab your enemies into your hand Ehud’s daring assassination of Eglon catalyzes an Israelite rebellion against their Moabite oppressors.

the fords of the Jordan Occupying this strategic location prevented both the Moabites’ escape and Moabite assistance from the other side.

3:30 the land rested Indicates that no foreign rule oppressed Israel.

3:31 Shamgar son of Anath Anat (or Anath) was the Canaanite goddess of war. This may mean that Shamgar was at one time a follower of Anat but now worshiped Yahweh.

the goad of an ox The Hebrew word used here, malmad, refers to a wooden pointer, at times tipped with metal, that was used to control livestock; it could easily have been wielded as a javelin or spear.

he also delivered Israel Nothing else is known of Shamgar.

Judges and Their Rule Table