The Bible — World English Bible
Judges 3
In brief
Judges 3 explains why God leaves certain nations in Canaan: to test Israel and to teach war to a generation that had not known it. Israel mixes with these peoples, serves their gods and finds itself enslaved. It cries out to the Lord, who raises up a deliverer. The chapter introduces Othniel, then Ehud, a left-handed man who delivers Israel from King Eglon of Moab, and finally Shamgar, who strikes down six hundred Philistines with an ox goad.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:
3the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
4They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to Yahweh’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
5The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
7The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
8Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
9When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
10Yahweh’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
11The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.
13He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
14The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
16Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
17He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
19But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.
20Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.
21Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.
22The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.
23Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
24After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”
25They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.
26Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.
27When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.
28He said to them, “Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.
29They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped.
30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.
31After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.
Key verses
Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan; only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:
God leaves some nations to test Israel and to form a generation that had not known the wars of Canaan. Some preachers conclude that certain trials are not punishments but a place of training.
They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods. The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
Israel adopts the habits and the gods of the neighboring peoples, then forgets the Lord. The text describes the beginning of the drift, which starts with spending time together and ends in the worship of idols.
When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
In distress, the people of Israel cry out to the Lord, and he raises up a deliverer for them. The same pattern returns throughout the book of Judges: unfaithfulness, oppression, a cry, deliverance.
But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
God raises up Ehud, a Benjamite who did not use his right hand. He chooses a deliverer whose handicap becomes an asset in the strategy, which shows that he does not rely on the usual criteria.
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.
After the victory over Moab, the land has rest for eighty years. The story shows that the deliverance God gives produces lasting peace, but the book will go on to follow the return of the cycle.
Bible verses to meditate on
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What the sermons say
Frequently asked questions about Judges 3
Why does God leave nations in Canaan in Judges 3?
Verses 1 to 4 give two reasons: to test Israel to see whether it would obey the commandments given through Moses, and to teach war to generations that had not known it. Many preachers see a principle here: some trials form the faith of those who had only received it from their parents.
What is the main message of Judges 3?
The chapter shows the cycle that structures the book of Judges: Israel turns away from God, is oppressed, cries out to him and receives a deliverer. It reveals God's faithfulness to an unfaithful people and the fact that he chooses unexpected deliverers, like Ehud the left-handed man or Shamgar with his ox goad.
Who is Ehud in Judges 3?
Ehud is a left-handed Benjamite whom God raises up to deliver Israel from King Eglon of Moab. He brings the tribute, then kills the king in his summer room with a hidden sword, and gathers Israel to defeat Moab. The land then has rest for eighty years. The account is very raw and should be read in its historical context.
Articles quoting Judges 3
World English Bible translation — public domain.