1Estos son los pueblos que dejó Jehová para probar con ellos a todos los que en Israel no habían conocido todas la guerras de Canaán; 2solamente para que el linaje de los hijos de Israel aprendiera cómo hacer la guerra, y lo enseñara a quienes antes no la habían conocido: 3los cinco príncipes de los filisteos, todos los cananeos, los sidonios y los heveos que habitaban en el monte Líbano, desde el monte Baal-hermón hasta llegar a Hamat.[1] 4Con ellos quiso probar a Israel, para saber si obedecería los mandamientos que él había dado a sus padres por mano de Moisés. 5Así, los hijos de Israel comenzaron a habitar entre los cananeos, heteos, amorreos, ferezeos, heveos y jebuseos. 6Y tomaron a sus hijas por mujeres, y dieron sus hijas a los hijos de ellos, y sirvieron a sus dioses. 7Hicieron, pues, los hijos de Israel lo malo ante los ojos de Jehová, su Dios, se olvidaron de él y sirvieron a los baales[2] y a las imágenes de Asera.[3] 8Por eso la ira de Jehová se encendió contra ellos y los entregó en manos de Cusan-risataim, rey de Mesopotamia,[4] al cual sirvieron durante ocho años. 9Entonces clamaron los hijos de Israel a Jehová, y Jehová levantó un libertador a los hijos de Israel y los libró; esto es, a Otoniel[5] hijo de Cenaz, hermano menor de Caleb. 10El espíritu de Jehová vino sobre[6] Otoniel, quien juzgó a Israel y salió a la batalla. Jehová entregó en sus manos a Cusan-risataim, rey de Siria, y le dio la victoria sobre Cusan-risataim. 11Y hubo paz en la tierra durante cuarenta años;[7] y murió Otoniel hijo de Cenaz. 12Volvieron los hijos de Israel a hacer lo malo ante los ojos de Jehová, por lo cual Jehová fortaleció a Eglón, rey de Moab,[8] contra Israel, porque había hecho lo malo ante los ojos de Jehová. 13El rey de Moab juntó consigo a los hijos de Amón[9] y de Amalec, vino e hirió a Israel, y tomó la ciudad de las palmeras.[10] 14Entonces sirvieron dieciocho años los hijos de Israel a Eglón, rey de los moabitas. 15Clamaron los hijos de Israel a Jehová, y Jehová les levantó un libertador,[11] a Aod hijo de Gera, benjaminita, el cual era zurdo.[12] Un día, los hijos de Israel enviaron con él un presente a Eglón, rey de Moab. 16Pero Aod se había hecho un puñal de dos filos, de un codo de largo,[13] y se lo ciñó del lado derecho debajo de sus vestidos. 17Entregó el presente a Eglón, rey de Moab, quien era un hombre muy grueso. 18Luego que hubo entregado el presente, Aod despidió a la gente que lo había acompañado, 19pero al llegar a los ídolos que están en Gilgal,[14] regresó y dijo a Eglón: --Rey, una palabra secreta tengo que decirte. El rey dijo entonces: --Calla. Y mandó que salieran de delante de él todos los que allí se encontraban. 20Y estando él sentado solo en su sala de verano, se le acercó Aod y le dijo: --Tengo una palabra de Dios para ti. Eglón se levantó de la silla. 21Entonces alargó Aod su mano izquierda, tomó el puñal de su lado derecho y se lo metió por el vientre 22de tal manera que la empuñadura entró también tras la hoja, y la gordura de Eglón cubrió la hoja, pues Aod no sacó el puñal de su vientre. Y se derramó el excremento. 23Aod salió al corredor, cerró tras sí las puertas de la sala y las aseguró con el cerrojo. 24Cuando ya había salido, vinieron los siervos del rey, quienes al ver las puertas de la sala cerradas, dijeron: "Sin duda él cubre sus pies[15] en la sala de verano". 25Tras mucho esperar, y confusos porque el rey no abría las puertas de la sala, tomaron la llave, abrieron y encontraron a su señor caído en tierra, muerto. 26Mientras ellos esperaban, Aod escapó y, pasando los ídolos, se puso a salvo en Seirat.[16] 27Cuando entró en Israel, tocó el cuerno en los montes de Efraín y los hijos de Israel descendieron con él del monte. Entonces Aod se puso al frente de ellos. 28Y les dijo: "Seguidme, porque Jehová ha entregado a vuestros enemigos moabitas en vuestras manos". Ellos descendieron en pos de él, le quitaron a Moab los vados del Jordán y no dejaron pasar a nadie. 29Mataron en aquel tiempo como a diez mil moabitas, todos valientes y todos hombres de guerra; no escapó ni uno. 30Así fue subyugado Moab aquel día bajo la mano de Israel. Y hubo paz en la tierra durante ochenta años.[17] 31Después de él vino Samgar[18] hijo de Anat,[19] el cual mató a seiscientos hombres de los filisteos con una aguijada de bueyes; él también salvó a Israel.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 NATIONS LEFT TO PROVE ISRAEL. (
Judg 3:1-
Judg 3:4)
these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel--This was the special design of these nations being left, and it evinces the direct influence of the theocracy under which the Israelites were placed. These nations were left for a double purpose: in the first instance, to be instrumental, by their inroads, in promoting the moral and spiritual discipline of the Israelites; and also to subserve the design of making them acquainted with war, in order that the young, more especially, who were total strangers to it, might learn the use of weapons and the art of wielding them.
5 BY COMMUNION WITH THESE THE ISRAELITES COMMIT IDOLATRY. (
Judg 3:5-
Judg 3:7)
the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites--The two peoples by degrees came to be on habits of intercourse. Reciprocal alliances were formed by marriage till the Israelites, relaxing the austerity of their principles, showed a growing conformity to the manners and worship of their idolatrous neighbors.
8 OTHNIEL DELIVERS ISRAEL. (
Judg 3:8-
Judg 3:11)
sold them--that is, "delivered them"
into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim--or, Chushan, "the wicked." This name had been probably given him from his cruel and impious character.
served Chushan-rishathaim eight years--by the payment of a stipulated tribute yearly, the raising of which must have caused a great amount of labor and privation.
9 when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord--In their distress they had recourse to earnest prayer, accompanied by humble and penitent confession of their errors.
Othniel--(See on
Josh 15:16;
Judg 1:13). His military experience qualified him for the work, while the gallant exploits he was known to have performed, gained him the full confidence of his countrymen in his ability as a leader.
10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel, and went out to war--Impelled by a supernatural influence, he undertook the difficult task of government at this national crisis--addressing himself to promote a general reformation of manners, the abolition of idolatry, and the revival of pure religion. After these preliminary measures, he collected a body of choice warriors to expel the foreign oppressors.
the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim--No details are given of this war, which, considering the resources of so potent a monarch, must have been a determined struggle. But the Israelitish arms were crowned through the blessing of God with victory, and Canaan regained its freedom and independence.
11 Othniel . . . died--How powerful the influence of one good man is, in church or state, is best found in his loss [BISHOP HALL].
12 EHUD SLAYS EGLON. (Jdg. 3:12-30)
the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord--The Israelites, deprived of the moral and political influences of Othniel, were not long in following their native bias to idolatry.
the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab--The reigning monarch's ambition was to recover that extensive portion of his ancient territory possessed by the Israelites. In conjunction with his neighbors, the Ammonites and the Amalekites, sworn enemies of Israel, he first subjected the eastern tribes; then crossing the Jordan, he made a sudden incursion on western Canaan, and in virtue of his conquests, erected fortifications in the territory adjoining Jericho [JOSEPHUS], to secure the frontier, and fixed his residence there. This oppressor was permitted, in the providence of God, to triumph for eighteen years.
15 Ehud the son of Gera--descended from Gera, one of Benjamin's sons (
Gen 46:21).
left-handed--This peculiarity distinguished many in the Benjamite tribe (
Judg 20:16). But the original word is rendered in some versions "both-handed," a view countenanced by
1Chr 12:2.
by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab--the yearly tribute, which, according to Eastern fashion, would be borne with ostentatious ceremony and offered (
Judg 3:18) by several messengers.
16 Ehud made him a dagger . . . and he did gird it . . . upon his right thigh--The sword was usually worn on the left side; so that Ehud's was the more likely to escape detection.
19 quarries--rather, "graven images" (
Deut 7:25;
Jer 8:19;
Jer 51:52); statues of Moabite idols, the sight of which kindled the patriotic zeal of Ehud to avenge this public insult to Israel on its author.
I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence--"Privacy"--a signal for all to withdraw.
20 a summer parlour--Hebrew, "chamber of cooling"--one of those retired edifices which Oriental grandees usually have in their gardens, and in which they repose during the heat of the day.
21 Ehud put forth his left hand--The whole circumstance of this daring act--the death of Eglon without a shriek, or noise--the locking of the doors--the carrying off the key--the calm, unhurried deportment of Ehud--show the strength of his confidence that he was doing God service.
27 he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim--summoned to arms the people of that mountainous region, which, adjoining the territory of Benjamin, had probably suffered most from the grievous oppression of the Moabites.
28 they went down after him, and took the fords--(See on
Josh 2:7). With the view of preventing all escape to the Moabite coast, and by the slaughter of ten thousand men [
Judg 3:29], Ehud rescued his country from a state of ignominious vassalage.
31 after him was Shamgar--No notice is given of the tribe or family of this judge; and from the Philistines being the enemy that roused him into public service, the suffering seems to have been local--confined to some of the western tribes.
slew . . . six hundred men with an oxgoad--This instrument is eight feet long and about six inches in circumference. It is armed at the lesser end with a sharp prong for driving the cattle, and on the other with a small iron paddle for removing the clay which encumbers the plough in working. Such an instrument, wielded by a strong arm, would do no mean execution. We may suppose, however, for the notice is very fragmentary, that Shamgar was only the leader of a band of peasants, who by means of such implements of labor as they could lay hold of at the moment, achieved the heroic exploit recorded.