1
These are the nations that the Lord left to test Israel by them, that is, all those Israelites who had not known the wars of Canaan.
2
— This was only so that the generations of the Israelites who had not known the earlier wars might be trained for battle by the Lord.
3
The ones left were the five rulers of the Philistine cities, and all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the hill country of Lebanon, from Mount Baal-Hermon to the road that leads to Hamath.
4
They were there so that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commands the Lord had given their fathers through Moses.
5
So the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6
They took their daughters as wives, gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7
The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
8
Then the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram-Mesopotamia; and the Israelites were subject to Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.
9
Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up a deliverer for the Israelites, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
10
The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to battle, and the Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram, into his hand, so that he defeated Cushan-Rishathaim.
11
Then the land had rest for forty years. Afterward Othniel son of Kenaz died.
12
But the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; so the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
13
He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites as allies. Then he came and struck Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.
14
The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
15
Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. Through him the Israelites used to send tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
16
And Ehud made a double-edged sword, about a cubit in length, and he strapped it under his clothing on his right thigh.
17
Then he brought the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18
When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the men who had carried the tribute,
19
but he himself turned back from the carved stones near Gilgal and returned to the king. He said, “I have a secret message for you, my lord, O king.” And Eglon said, “Keep silence.” So all who stood by him went out.
20
Then Ehud came to him, while he was sitting alone in his upper room in his cool chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a word from God for you.” And he rose from his seat.
21
Then Ehud reached out with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into the king’s belly,
22
so that the hilt also went in after the blade. And the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of the king’s belly. Then he went out through the back door.
23
When he had gone out, Ehud came to the porch; and the doors of the upper room were locked after he had gone out.
24
When he had gone out, the servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. And they said, “Surely he is relieving himself in the cool chamber.”
25
So they waited until they were embarrassed, but the king did not open the doors of the upper room. Then they took the key and opened them, and there their lord was lying dead on the floor.
26
While they delayed, Ehud escaped; he passed beyond the carved stones and escaped toward Seirah.
27
When he arrived there, he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hill country, and he himself was in front.
28
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 Moab, and they did not allow anyone to cross over.
29
At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all strong and able men; not one escaped.
30
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
31
After him came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. So he also saved Israel.
⚔️🛡️🗡️ Summary of Judges 3 – The First Three Judges: Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar
Judges 3 introduces the first three judges whom the Lord used to deliver Israel from oppression because of their disobedience. The pattern we saw in the previous chapter begins to repeat clearly here:
Israel sins → the Lord gives them over to enemies → the people cry out → the Lord raises up a judge → peace → falling again.
📌 1. The Nations Left to Test Israel (verses 1–6)
- The Lord left the pagan nations in the land of Canaan to test Israel.
- Israel mixed with them and married them, and began to worship other gods.
🎯 God’s test is not to tempt, but to prove and deepen obedience.
📌 2. Othniel Defeats Cushan-Rishathaim (verses 7–11)
- Israel sinned, worshiping Baal and Asherah.
- The Lord gave them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram-Mesopotamia, for 8 years.
- Israel cried out, and the Lord raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother.
- The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and he prevailed.
- The land had peace for 40 years.
🎯 A leader anointed by God brings restoration and peace, but it requires a response of repentance from the people.
📌 3. Ehud Kills Eglon, King of Moab (verses 12–30)
- Israel sinned again. The Lord gave them into the hand of Eglon, king of Moab, for 18 years.
- Israel cried out. The Lord raised up Ehud, a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin.
- With cunning, Ehud slipped into the palace and killed Eglon with a double-edged sword.
- He then led the attack and killed 10,000 Moabites.
- The land had peace for 80 years.
🎯 God can use anyone, even the unusual (left-handed), to deliver His people.
📌 4. Shamgar Defeats the Philistines (verse 31)
- Shamgar, with an oxgoad, killed 600 Philistines and saved Israel.
🎯 God can use simple tools to achieve great victory.
📖 Main Lessons
- Obedience is tested through circumstances — whether we remain faithful or follow the world.
- The Lord uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
- Repentance opens the way for divine deliverance.
- One obedient person can bring salvation to many.
- True victory comes when the Lord is with us, not because of human strength.
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“But what is foolish in the world, God chose to put to shame the wise…”
“About Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David… they conquered kingdoms…”
“The prayer of a righteous person, when offered in faith, is very powerful.”
🎯 God still uses willing, faithful, and obedient people to reveal His power in the world.
“Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD…” – Judges 3:9
“So the LORD raised up a deliverer… Othniel son of Kenaz.” – verse 9
“Ehud… took a double-edged sword and hid it on his right thigh…” – verse 16
“Shamgar… struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad.” – verse 31
