1The nations which were left to prove Israel. 5By intercourse with them the Israelites are seduced into idolatry. 8They are sold into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim, but delivered by Othniel; 12and into the hand of Eglon king of Moab, but delivered by Ehud. 31Shamgar slayeth six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, and delivereth Israel.
1NOW these are the nations which the LORD left, to 1prove Israel by them, even as 2many of Israel as had not known all the 3wars of Canaan;
1 See Judges 2 on verse 22.
2 Namely, Israelites.
3 That is, which before in Joshua’s life-time were come against the Canaanites.
2Only that the 4generations of the children of Israel 5might know, 6to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
4 That is, the posterity.
5 Namely, the wars of Canaan, whereof is spoken in the following verse.
6 Namely, the Lord, Who not only commanded these wars against the Canaanites, but likewise had promised His Divine conduct, assistance, and victory, namely, if they would steadfastly cleave and adhere unto Him; but on the contrary, if they would forsake Him, in which they would experience the manifold and grievous miseries which those wars do produce.
3Namely, five 7lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the 8Hivites that dwelt in mount 9Lebanon, from mount 10Baal-hermon unto the entering in of 11Hamath.
7 See Joshua 13:3; Judges 16:5. Or, rulers, governors, commanders. Other, governments, lordships, ruling-offices.
8 Hebr. Chivvites.
9 Situated on the northern borders of Canaan, very famous, and often mentioned in the Holy Scripture.
10 Situated on the east end of Mount Lebanon, northward from Bashan. See 1 Chron. 5:23. Mount Hermon was at the west end of Lebanon by Sidon. See Deut. 3:9; 4:48.
11 Located on the northern border of Canaan.
4And they were to 12prove Israel by them, to know whether they would 13hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the 14hand of Moses.
12 As Judges 2:22.
13 That is, that it might be manifest and made to appear. See Deut. 8 on verse 2.
14 That is, by the ministry of Moses.
5¶And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the 15groves.
15 Understand consecrated, idolatrous woods and trees which were planted, and ordained for the honor and worship of the heathenish idols; or, the grove-gods, so called, because they were worshipped in thick, dark groves, and were honored under goodly high trees, after the heathen manner.
8¶Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he 16sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of 17Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.
16 See Judges 2 on verse 14.
17 Hebr. Aram-naharaim, that is, Syria of the two rivers; as such is Mesopotamia called in Greek for the same cause or reason. See Gen. 24 on verse 10. In verse 10 below it is called Mesopotamia, that is, Aram, namely, Syria.
9And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of 18Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
18 See Judges 1:13.
10And the 19Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he 20judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of 21Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand 22prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.
19 Understand the Spirit of fortitude, courage, wisdom, government, etc., working and producing in him that which was needful for the carrying out of his calling. Compare Judges 6:34; 11:29.
20 See Judges 2 on verse 16.
21 Hebr. Aram. See on verse 8.
22 That is, he became too strong for this king; he over-powered him.
11And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12¶And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD 23strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
23 That is, He gave him power and victory against Israel, for a punishment of their sins.
13And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the 24city of palm trees.
24Jericho. See Deut. 34:3; Judges 1:16.
14So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a 25Benjamite, a man 26lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
25 Or, a son of Jemini, that is, a Benjamite; as Judges 19:16.
26 Hebr. that was shut, or locked up on, or, of his right hand, or, whose right hand was shut, or, locked; that is, who could not so well use his right hand. Compare Judges 20:16. It is remarkable, that it pleased God to deliver His people by this man, who in the judgment of man might seem to be most unsuitable for that business. See verse 31.
16But Ehud made him a dagger 27which had two edges, of a cubita length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
27 Hebr. and that had two mouths, that is, it cut on both sides, or was two-edged, or two ways cutting.
a (the cubit mentioned here is gomed, a different Hebrew word, and is probably shorter than an ordinary cubit)
17And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
18And when he had made an end to offer the present, he 28sent away the people that bare the present.
28 Or, dismissed.
19But he himself turned again from the 29quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, 30Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
29 Or, hewn, graven; these could have been reared up by the idolatrous Israelites or the Moabites, at or by Gilgal, because Israel, at their first entrance into Canaan, were there circumcised, in which respect the same was accounted an holy place. Otherwise, of the quarries, or, the places out of which the stones were hewn and digged; applying this to the stones that were erected by Joshua, at the command of God for a memorial of their miraculous passage through the Jordan, Joshua 4:20.
30 Namely, until all the bystanders are gone out.
20And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a 31summer parlour, 32which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he 33arose out of his seat.
31 Hebr. an upper room of cooling; that is, a summer parlor, serving to cool a man against the heat of the summer.
32 Other, he now sat alone in a cool upper-parlor, which was for him, or, which he had.
33 Although he (being an idolater) esteemed his idols more than he did the God of Israel, yet notwithstanding he would show his reverence and respect unto His word or ambassador.
21And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22And the haftb also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, 34so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and 35the dirt came out.
b handle
34 As being not able, for the reason mentioned in the fore-going words.
35 Other, it came out at the fundament, namely, the blade or the sword.
23Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour 36upon him, and 37locked them.
36 Other, before, or, upon him, namely, king Eglon.
37 Or, bolted it.
24When he was gone out, 38his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he 39covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
38 Namely, of Eglon.
39 Thus the going to stool, or easing of nature, is expressed in modest terms in Scripture, because in sitting down, or bending the body, they covered their feet with their upper garment, 1 Sam. 24:4.
25And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, 40he opened not the doors of the parlour;c therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was 41fallen down dead on the earth.
40Eglon.
c upper room
41 Or, was fallen dead on the ground. The Hebrew word indeed for the most part signifies, to fall, but it is also in many places translated to lie down. See Deut. 21:1; Judges 4:22; 5:27; 7:12; 1 Sam. 31:8.
26And Ehud escaped while 42they tarried, and passed beyond the 43quarries, and escaped unto 44Seirath.
42 Namely, the servants of the dead king.
43 See on verse 19.
44 Understand not the mountains of Seir, or of the Edomites, but a place situated at, or upon mount Ephraim, as can be gathered from the following verse.
27And it came to pass, when he was come, that he 45blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
45 That is, caused to blow; also Judges 6:34, etc.
28And he said unto them, 46Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
46 Or, pursue after, follow behind me.
29And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all 47lusty,d and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
47 That is, corpulent, strong, well-set, the ablest and fittest men for battle, or rich, influential.
d vigorous, strong
30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
31¶And after him 48was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an 49ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
48 Namely, judge, deliverer.
49 (goad). The Hebrew word comes from teaching, and signifies such a staff, cudgel, or rod, that has prickles on it, serving to teach oxen to go onward when they are a plowing. Hereby is set forth the simplicity and scantiness of the means, which notwithstanding were so blessed by the Lord that a great number of well-armed men were not able to subsist against the same; as David felled down Goliath with his sling. Compare see above 1 Cor. 1:28 and verse 15; Judges 15:15, etc.