The first of six periods of oppression by Israel's enemies began while Othniel, Caleb's younger brother, was still alive and strong (cf. Josh. 15:17; Judg. 1:13). The writer identified each of these periods with the phrase "the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD"(3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1).
Many scholars now identify Asheroth (v. 7, NASB) with the Canaanite goddess Asherah (NIV) and the Ugaritic Athirat. They distinguish her from the Mesopotamian female deity Astarte.
"She was frequently represented as the tree of life, which is often depicted in Canaanite art as flanked by caprids which reach up to its fruit. . . . The tree of life is stylised in Canaanite art, and in the fertility cult was represented either by a natural tree, which was planted in the sanctuary, or by a stylised wooden pole, the aserah."64
In the Hebrew text the phrase "the anger of the Lord was kindled"(v. 8) reads literally "the Lord's nose became hot."This is one of the most obvious examples of an anthropomorphism for God in the Old Testament. It pictures His anger most graphically.65
Mesopotamia (v. 8) was at this time, ". . . the fertile land east of the river Orontes covering the upper and middle Euphrates and the lands watered by the rivers Habur and Tigris, i.e., modern E Syria and N Iraq."66
The king's name was Cushan (v. 8). The last part of the hyphenated name Cushan-rishathaim means "doubly wicked."The Israelites who experienced his harsh rule over them for eight years probably added it to his given name.
In response to His people's cries for deliverance, God moved and empowered Othniel to lead the Israelites in throwing off their foreign yoke. Throughout Judges we read that God delivered the Israelites when they called out to him for salvation from their desperate situations (cf. 3:9, 15; 7:2, 9; 10:12; 18:10). He did not wait until they cleaned up their lives, the popular meaning of repentance.
". . . when Yahweh raised up a savior' for Israel he was not reacting to any repentance on Israel's part. If anything, he was responding to their misery rather than to their sorrow, to their pain rather than to their penitence."67
God provided deliverance as grace in response to their helpless cry, not as a reward they had earned (cf. Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13).68
Othniel was already a prominent warrior in Israel and lived in Debir in Judah (Josh. 15:15-17; Judg. 1:11-13). Note again the early primacy of the tribe of Judah (cf. 1:3-20; 20:18). Having proved faithful earlier God selected Othniel for more important service here. At the proper time God endowed Othniel with an increased measure of grace by placing His Spirit on this man (v. 10; cf. Num. 24:2; Judg. 11:29; 1 Sam. 19:20, 23; 2 Chron. 20:14).
"In its peculiar operations the Spirit of Jehovah manifested itself as a spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isa. xi. 2). The communication of this Spirit under the Old Testament was generally made in the form of extraordinary and supernatural influence upon the human spirit."69
"Since Pentecost (Acts 2) a more general and permanent endowment of the Holy Spirit has been the privilege of every disciple."70
Evidently Cushan controlled most if not all of Israel. This opinion rests on the fact that Mesopotamia lay northeast of Canaan, but Othniel lived in the southwest part of Canaan. In the cases of the other judges God normally raised up persons who lived in the areas in Israel that were closest to Israel's oppressing enemies. Cushan was the most powerful king that oppressed the Israelites during the judges period. By beginning with the record of his defeat, the writer announced that if Yahweh could deliver Israel from this "emperor"He could rescue them from any foe.71
After the "war"with the Mesopotamians (v. 10), a period of 40 years of peace followed (v. 11).72During this time Othniel probably continued to judge Israel and then died (v. 11). Verse 11 probably indicates that Ehud followed Othniel chronologically.73
"Many have noted that the narrator writes nothing negative about this man [Othniel]. This is intentional. The prologue has prepared the reader to expect a progressive degeneration in the moral and spiritual fiber of the nation. As the embodiment of the people, the leaders whom Yahweh raises in the nation's defense exhibit the same pattern."74
The most important factor in the story of Othniel, I believe, was the fact that God's Spirit empowered him (v. 10). This was true of all the judges, though the writer did not always mention it. No one can accomplish anything significant spiritually without the Holy Spirit's enablement (cf. John 15:5). However with His assistance His people can be the agents of supernatural change and can carry out God's will.
The "minor judges"filled the same role in Israel as the "major judges"(Gideon, Samson, et al.).75
"The reason why the accounts of the judges vary in length is that their stories vary in their instructional value regarding this subjective aspect of redemptive significance. That is, the accounts which are longer present those stories which provide the most helpful guidelines for the Christian life."76
