Judges 3:5-11

3:5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3:6 They took the Canaanites’ daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites; ¹  they worshiped ²  their gods as well.

Othniel: A Model Leader

3:7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. ³  They forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs. ⁴  3:8 The Lord was furious with Israel ⁵  and turned them over to ⁶  King Cushan-Rishathaim ⁷  of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjects ⁸  for eight years. 3:9 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he ⁹  raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued ¹⁰  them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. ¹¹  3:10 The Lord’s spirit empowered him ¹²  and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him. ¹³  3:11 The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

[3:6]  ¹ tn Heb “to their sons.”

[3:6]  ² tn Or “served”; or “followed” (this term occurs in the following verse as well).

[3:7]  ¹ tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord.”

[3:7]  ² sn The Asherahs were local manifestations of the Canaanite goddess Asherah.

[3:8]  ¹ tn Or “The Lord’s anger burned (or raged) against Israel.”

[3:8]  ² tn Heb “sold them into the hands of.”

[3:8]  ³ tn Or “Cushan the Doubly Wicked.”

[3:8]  ⁴ tn Or “they served Cushan-Rishathaim.”

[3:9]  ¹ tn Heb “the Lord.”

[3:9]  ² tn Or “delivered.”

[3:9]  ³ tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel is Caleb’s nephew).

[3:10]  ¹ tn Heb “was on him.”

[3:10]  ² tn Heb “his hand was strong against Cushan-Rishathaim.”