The big picture
The remaining nations expose Israel’s loyalties. Israel first serves other gods and is delivered through Othniel, then falls under Moab and is delivered through Ehud. A final verse remembers Shamgar’s rescue of Israel.
Scripture beside the summary
Judges · King James Version · 31Judges 3:1-6
Testing becomes accommodation
The nations left in the land test Israel and teach warfare to generations without battle experience. Israel lives among them, intermarriage follows, and service to their gods completes the movement toward assimilation.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all…” Naming Israel and Canaan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew…” Naming Israel and Only keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Judges 3:1-6
King James Version1Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel 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 the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.
4And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD , which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5And 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.
Judges 3:7-11
Othniel brings the first deliverance
Israel forgets the LORD and serves the Baals and groves. After eight years under Cushan-rishathaim, the people cry out, the Spirit of the LORD comes upon Othniel, and the land rests forty years.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD , and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and…” Naming Baalim keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Judges 3:7-11
King James Version7And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD , and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
8Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.
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 Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
10And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.
11And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
Judges 3:12-30
Ehud overturns Moabite power
Moab dominates Israel for eighteen years. Ehud carries tribute to Eglon, gains a private audience, kills the king, escapes, rallies Israel, and secures the Jordan crossings before a long period of rest.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD : and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab…” Naming Israel and Eglon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have…” Naming Ehud keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they…” Naming Surely keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they…” Naming Follow and Jordan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
The narrator builds the episode through physical and verbal detail: Ehud’s left hand, the two-edged dagger, Eglon’s body, the private upper chamber, and the servants’ delay. These details create irony and suspense while showing how an apparently controlled royal setting becomes the place where Moabite power collapses.
The rescue is larger than the assassination. Ehud returns, sounds a trumpet, calls Israel to follow, and leads the seizure of the Jordan fords. Verse 28 gives the theological interpretation: the LORD has delivered the enemies into Israel’s hand. The account reports violent deliverance in an ancient conflict; it does not authorize private violence in the name of a personal cause.
Judges 3:12-30
King James Version12And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD : and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD .
13And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
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 Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
16But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
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 sent away the people that bare the present.
19But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
20And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
21And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
23Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
24When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
25And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
26And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
27And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
28And he said unto them, Follow 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.
29And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
Judges 3:31
Shamgar is remembered in one line
Shamgar strikes six hundred Philistines with an ox goad and delivers Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also…” The number six makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Judges 3:31
King James Version31And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Judges 3:1 begins with “Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;”
Where the chapter turns
Judges 3:16 forms a natural hinge: “But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.”
The final note
Judges 3:31 leaves the reader with “And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Israel, LORD, children, Ehud, hand, king help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does blame move through the conversation?
The man points to the woman and indirectly to God; the woman points to the serpent. Neither response repairs trust.
Where does mercy appear?
Continued life, the promise involving offspring, and clothing accompany the expulsion.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- hath
- has
- raiment
- clothing
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.