[[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[Judges Overview]] [[Judges 02]] [[Judges 04]] # Judges 03 📖 > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) [[#Verse 01.]] These were the nations the Lord permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel—he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites.  [[#Verse 02.]] He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war.  [[#Verse 03.]] These were the nations: the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. [[#Verse 04.]] They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses. [[#Verse 05.]] The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.  [[#Verse 06.]] They took the Canaanites’ daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites; they worshiped their gods as well. ### Othniel: A Model Leader [[#Verse 07.]] The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs. [[#Verse 08.]] The Lord was furious with Israel and turned them over to King Cushan Rishathaim of Armon Haraim. They were Cushan Rishathaim’s subjects for eight years.  [[#Verse 09.]] When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.  [[#Verse 10.]] The Lord’s Spirit empowered him and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan Rishathaim of Armon and he overpowered him.  [[#Verse 11.]] The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died. ### Deceit, Assassination, and Deliverance [[#Verse 12.]] The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. The Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because they had done evil in the Lord’s sight.  [[#Verse 13.]] Eglon formed alliances with the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the city of date palm trees.  [[#Verse 14.]] The Israelites were subject to King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years. [[#Verse 15.]] When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment.  [[#Verse 16.]] Ehud made himself a sword—it had two edges and was 18 inches long. He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh. [[#Verse 17.]] He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.) [[#Verse 18.]] After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it.  [[#Verse 19.]] But he went back once he reached the carved images at Gilgal. He said to Eglon, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said, “Be quiet!” All his attendants left.  [[#Verse 20.]] When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated upper room all by himself. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat,  [[#Verse 21.]] Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and drove it into Eglon’s belly.  [[#Verse 22.]] The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly.  [[#Verse 23.]] As Ehud went out into the vestibule, he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them. [[#Verse 24]] When Ehud had left, Eglon’s servants came and saw the locked doors of the upper room. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the well-ventilated inner room.” [[#Verse 25.]] They waited so long they were embarrassed, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. Finally they took the key and opened the doors. Right before their eyes was their master, sprawled out dead on the floor!  [[#Verse 26.]] Now Ehud had escaped while they were delaying. When he passed the carved images, he escaped to Seirah. [[#Verse 27.]] When he reached Seirah, he blew a trumpet in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites went down with him from the hill country, with Ehud in the lead.  [[#Verse 28.]] He said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!” They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Moab, and did not let anyone cross.  [[#Verse 29.]] That day they killed about 10,000 Moabites—all strong, capable warriors; not one escaped.  [[#Verse 30.]] Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years. [[#Verse 31.]] After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. He killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. So he also delivered Israel. ## ==📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary== ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24 ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write down things that are not straight from commentary but interesting facts that ground the text in history. %% ## 🧠 Chapter Summary - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) summarizing what happens in this chapter. - What is the main event or teaching? - How does this chapter fit the book’s overall story? - What stands out immediately? Anything Apologetic to point out? %% ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📌 Observation 1 - 📌 Observation 2 - 📌 Observation 3 - (Add more as needed.) %% %% #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." Think: - What do we learn about God here? - What do we learn about people? - Are there promises, commands, or warnings? %% ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of important verse." - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of another important verse." (You can link to deeper notes if you want later.) %% ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 coming soon. - 🔗 coming soon. %% Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 %% ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." %% ##### 📂 Internal Links/Personal Notes