Judges 3
God apparently left some of the unfriendly nations hanging around to stop Israel from forgetting how to go to war and try to keep them on the straight and narrow.
However Israelite families intermarried with these people and wound up chasing after the local gods.
Basically the cycle seems to be - Israel fall away from God and following his decrees - Israel is oppressed by raiders and invaders - Israel cry out to God in their troubles - God raises up a leader - Israel behave while this leader is alive.
The first judge God raised up was Othniel, son of Caleb's younger brother to rescue Israel from the appression of the king of Aram Naharaim. who had been oppressing Israel for 8 years.
Israel had been worshipping the Baal and Ashteroth gods and goddesses of the Canaanite nations.
The land then had peace for 40 years
Next comes Ehud - the only guy in the Bible who is recorded as being left handed.
The king of Moab, Eglon, has been ruling at least some of the Jews for 18 years.
Ehud, a left handed Benjaminite (son of my right hand) arranges to deliver the Israelite tribute to king Eglon, tells the king that he has an important private message for the king.
Ehud had made a double edged sword that he had strapped to his right leg under his clothers.
Ehud pulls the sword and stabbed the king, who was a bit on the portly side and the sword sank in the whole length including the handle.
Ehud locked the doors as he left. The servants thought the king was on the toilet and waited a long time before finding a key. During the wait Ehud escaped, gathered an army and attacked the Moabites.
Shamgar, all the Bible tells us is that he killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad
God apparently left some of the unfriendly nations hanging around to stop Israel from forgetting how to go to war and try to keep them on the straight and narrow.
However Israelite families intermarried with these people and wound up chasing after the local gods.
Basically the cycle seems to be - Israel fall away from God and following his decrees - Israel is oppressed by raiders and invaders - Israel cry out to God in their troubles - God raises up a leader - Israel behave while this leader is alive.
The first judge God raised up was Othniel, son of Caleb's younger brother to rescue Israel from the appression of the king of Aram Naharaim. who had been oppressing Israel for 8 years.
Israel had been worshipping the Baal and Ashteroth gods and goddesses of the Canaanite nations.
The land then had peace for 40 years
Next comes Ehud - the only guy in the Bible who is recorded as being left handed.
The king of Moab, Eglon, has been ruling at least some of the Jews for 18 years.
Ehud, a left handed Benjaminite (son of my right hand) arranges to deliver the Israelite tribute to king Eglon, tells the king that he has an important private message for the king.
Ehud had made a double edged sword that he had strapped to his right leg under his clothers.
Ehud pulls the sword and stabbed the king, who was a bit on the portly side and the sword sank in the whole length including the handle.
Ehud locked the doors as he left. The servants thought the king was on the toilet and waited a long time before finding a key. During the wait Ehud escaped, gathered an army and attacked the Moabites.
Shamgar, all the Bible tells us is that he killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad
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